Guide to import of Food into Hong Kong
Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to provide general guidance for importers who wish to import food into Hong Kong.
Statutory Requirements
In Hong Kong, the legal framework of food safety control is laid down in Part V of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap 132 and its subsidiary legislation. A list of the subsidiary legislation is at Appendix. The basic requirement, as stipulated in section 54 of the Ordinance, is that no food intended for sale should be unfit for human consumption.
Importers can purchase the main Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation from the Publications Sales Unit at Room 626, 6/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong.
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is responsible for implementing territory-wide policies of food safety control and enforcing the food legislation. To this end, part of its duties is to exercise the power provided under Section 62(1) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to take food samples at points of entry to the territory for various kinds of tests, including bacteriological examinations and chemical analyses.
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will pay the market price of any food samples taken from importers. Due to difficulties in ascertaining the price at entry points, the Department will issue a sampling notice to importers when samples are collected. The notice will specify items and quantities of food samples which have been taken. Importers could send an invoice and a copy of the notice afterwards to the Department for payment.
