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The risk of foodborne diseases could be reduced if proper food handling practices were adopted, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, said today (June 29)
Speaking at the opening ceremony for Food Safety Day 2008, Mr Cheuk said inadequate cooking, cooked food contaminated by raw food and poor personal hygiene of food handlers were some of the contributing factors for foodborne diseases.
¡§To enhance food safety, especially during summer months when the risk of food incidents is higher, the food trade and the public should follow the Five Keys,¡¨ he said.
The Five Keys to Food Safety are:
* Choose: choose safe raw materials;
* Clean: keep hands and utensils clean;
* Separate: separate raw and cooked food;
* Cook: cook food thoroughly; and
* Safe temperature: keep food at or below four degrees Celsius or above 60 degrees Celsius.
He said Hong Kong would be hosting the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events in August and September. He hoped the food trade and the public would join with the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) to maintain high food safety standards to show the participating teams and visitors that Hong Kong was not only a food paradise but also a world-class city in food safety and hygiene.
Co-organised by the CFS of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and Radio Television Hong Kong Radio 1, today¡¦s event launched the publicity drive to promote the Five Keys to Food Safety. It featured a variety show, an exhibition and game booths.
Also officiating at the ceremony were Chairman of Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene, Mr Tommy Cheung, the Controller of CFS, Dr Constance Chan, and the Head of Radio 1, Radio Television Hong Kong, Mr Chan Yiu-wah.
Ends/Sunday, June 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:51
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