To enhance food safety and hygiene awareness among schools and licensed food factories supplying school lunch boxes, and to tie in with the new school year, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) and the Environmental Hygiene Branch of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) have stepped up inspections of licensed food factories supplying school lunch boxes in various districts of Hong Kong and collected food samples for testing.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said today (September 28), "Since July, the FEHD has inspected 46 licensed food factories supplying school lunch boxes, and reminded operators of the proper way of handling school lunch boxes. As at late September, the CFS has collected 92 lunch box samples from those licensed food factories for microbiological examinations. All samples tested satisfactory."

     Regarding education and publicity, to safeguard food safety on campuses, the CFS has arranged a series of online and physical seminars for schools and lunch box suppliers between July and late September, highlighting food safety hazards such as choking and food allergies, and emphasising the need for vigilance among teaching staff and food handlers in schools, as well as reminding lunch box suppliers to adhere to good hygiene practices when preparing food. At the same time, schools are also reminded to order lunch boxes from suppliers that hold a valid Food Factory Licence issued by the FEHD and are endorsed to provide lunch boxes. Lunch box suppliers are also reminded to establish a food safety plan based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system to lower the risks of food contamination.

     The CFS has published "A Practical Guide for Ensuring Food Safety in Schools and Childcare Facilities" to which schools and childcare facilities can refer when choosing lunch box suppliers and ensuring food safety on campus. Lunch box caterers can make use of the guideline "Developing a School Food Safety Plan Based on HACCP system (for School Lunch Box Caterers)" to learn more about how to enhance the safety of lunch box production. For further details, please visit the "Safe Food at School" thematic webpage.

Ends/Monday, September 28, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:00

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