Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong, China notified in G/SPS/N/HKG/50 dated 16 December 2024 a consultation document on the Proposed Amendments to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap. 132V, Laws of Hong Kong).  The proposed amendments aim to keep abreast of international development on maximum levels (MLs) of metallic contaminants in food by adding twenty-seven new MLs for specified metal in specified food (food pair) and updating nine MLs for existing food pairs, with reference to latest standards of Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) and major food importing places. The proposed amendments were incorporated in the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2025 ("Amendment Regulation") which was gazetted on 2 July 2025 and passed by the Legislative Council on 30 July 2025 after completion of the negative vetting procedure.This addendum notifies that the Amendment Regulation will come into operation on 5 September 2025. The commencement will be followed by the 18-month grace period, which will end on 5 March 2027. During the grace period, it would be legal for any single food item to comply fully with either the updated standards or the ones immediately in force before the commencement date. After the end of the grace period, the requirements of the Amendment Regulation must be fully complied with.

With a view to better protecting public health, facilitating effective regulation and promoting harmonisation between local and international standards, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region proposes, through legislative amendments, to update the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap. 132V, Laws of Hong Kong). The proposed amendments aim to keep abreast of international development on maximum levels (MLs) of metallic contaminants in food by adding twenty-seven new MLs for specified metal in specified food (food pair) and updating nine MLs for existing food pairs, with reference to latest standards of Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) and major food importing places.

Hong Kong, China notified in G/SPS/N/HKG/48 dated 26 May 2023 a consultation document on the Proposed Amendments to the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD, Laws of Hong Kong, China), which mainly involves updating the definitions of "preservative" and "antioxidant", the list of permitted preservatives and antioxidants as well as the maximum permitted levels of such permitted preservatives and antioxidants in specified food. The proposed amendments were incorporated in the Preservatives in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2024 ("Amendment Regulation") which was gazetted on 10 October 2024 and tabled in the Legislative Council on 16 October 2024 for negative vetting.This addendum notifies that the Amendment Regulation will come into operation on 30 December 2024. The commencement will be followed by the 24-month transitional period, which will end on 29 December 2026. During the transitional period, it would be legal for any single food item to comply fully with either the updated standards or the ones immediately in force before the commencement date. After the end of the transitional period, the requirements of the Amendment Regulation must be fully complied with.

The Food Safety Order prohibits the import into and supply within Hong Kong all aquatic products originating from ten metropolis/prefectures in Japan, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, which are harvested, manufactured, processed or packed on or after 24 August 2023.  These include all aquatic products that are live, chilled, frozen, dried or otherwise preserved, sea salt and raw or processed seaweeds.  The order takes effect from 24 August 2023.

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region hereby notifies that the final date for comments with regard to WTO Notification G/SPS/N/HKG/48 on "Consultation Document on Proposed Amendments to the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD)" has been extended until 30 September 2023.