A Guide to the Registration Scheme for Food Importers and Food Distributors

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Background
1.1 The Food Safety Ordinance (Cap. 612) (the Ordinance) was published in the Gazette on 8 April 2011. Part 2 of the Ordinance requires any person who carries on a food importation or food distribution business to register with the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (DFEH). The registration scheme is an important component of the food tracing mechanism introduced in the Ordinance
1. The scheme will assist DFEH in
identifying and contacting registered food traders speedily in a food incident. The registration cycle is for a period of 3 years, subject to renewal.
1.2 This Guide to the Registration Scheme for Food Importers and Food Distributors (the Guide) is issued by the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. It aims to provide general information to assist traders in their applications for registration as food importers and food distributors under the Ordinance, and to answer some of the frequently asked questions. It also sets out circumstances under which an application may be refused or a registration may be revoked.