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The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene has ordered a food factory in Yuen Long to close down for 14 days for repeated violations of the Food Business Regulation.

The food factory at Shop C2, Ground Floor, 159 Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long, was ordered to suspend business for 14 days from today (January 21) to February 3.

A Food and Environmental Hygiene Department spokesman said that the shop's licensee was convicted twice for using open space for storage of utensils in February and April last year.

"She was fined a total of $3,000 and 15 demerit points were also registered against her under the department's demerit points system, resulting in the suspension of her shop licence for seven days from July 5 to 11 last year," the spokesman said.

"In October last year, the shop's licensee was again convicted for using open space for storage of utensils. She was also convicted for unauthorised extension of food business outside the licensed area in November, 2003. She was fined a total of $4,000 for the two convictions. A further 20 demerit points were registered, leading to the 14-day suspension this time."

The spokesman reminded licensees of food premises to strictly comply with the Food Business Regulation, otherwise their licences may be suspended or even cancelled.

Ends/Friday, January 21, 2005

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