S for Housing calls on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Beijing
The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, called on the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development yesterday (June 27) on the last day of her visit to Beijing.
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S for Housing calls on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
S for Housing calls on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
S for Housing calls on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
S for Housing calls on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Ms Ho first called on Deputy Director of the HKMAO of the State Council Mr Nong Rong, and reported on the work of the Housing Bureau (HB). These include intensified efforts to combat tenancy abuse to ensure the prudent use of public housing resources. Around 8 700 public rental housing units have been recovered so far. On Light Public Housing (LPH), the progress of constructing about 30 000 units in 2027 is good. The intake of the first LPH project with about 2 100 units at Yau Pok Road, Yuen Long, has been 100 per cent completed smoothly, while the project at Choi Hing Road, Ngau Tau Kok, with about 2 300 units, will commence intake in phases by the end of this month. The remaining projects are also pressing ahead at full speed. The HB will introduce the Basic Housing Units Bill into the Legislative Council for the first and second readings in July, and strive to complete the legislative work within this year, so as to ensure full implementation of the regulatory work for eradicating substandard subdivided units in Hong Kong and provide a reasonable and safe living environment for the grassroots, the earlier the better. The HB will continue to refine housing policies with sustained efforts, break through constraints to improve people's livelihood, and enhance their well-being.
She then called on the Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Mr Ni Hong, introduced the work of the HB, and shared the adoption of advanced construction technologies from the Mainland in Hong Kong and the outcomes. She mentioned that the HB will organise a series of activities and visits this year, including an international symposium to be held in Hong Kong in November, to showcase to the world the latest developments of construction technologies in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The HB will fully capitalise on Hong Kong's unique advantages of connecting with both the Mainland and the rest of the world and play the role of a "super connector" and a "super value-adder". She expressed hope that friends from around the world could attend the symposium to be hosted by Hong Kong at the end of this year.
Concluding the visit, Ms Ho said, "The visit not only provided an opportunity to showcase the achievements of the collaborative development of Hong Kong and the Mainland construction industries to experts and scholars from different regions at the Asia-Pacific Network for Housing Research 2025 Conference; it also strengthened exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland on smart construction, smart property management, community building and housing policies. In addition, echoing the Housing•I&T initiative of the HB this year, this trip enabled us to gain a better understanding of the latest developments of advanced technologies on the Mainland. I encourage the industry to use public housing as a testing ground for trials of new technologies, and to research and develop innovative construction technologies and smart management technologies that are locally applicable and globally accepted, in order to provide a better living environment for our people."
Ms Ho returned to Hong Kong last night.
S for Housing calls on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
S for Housing calls on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
S for Housing calls on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
S for Housing calls on Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CFS to follow up certain batches of powdered infant and young children formula with possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 10) said that, it took initiative to meet with Nestlé Hong Kong again today, and confirmed the company's today announcement of an additional batch of powdered infant and young children formula suspected to have possibly used the raw material concerned. Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall. The CFS has collected samples of powdered infant and young children formula from the market for Bacillus cereus testing, the test results so far were satisfactory. The Environmental and Ecology Bureau is also closely monitoring the supply situation of other formula milk powder and maintaining communication with other major suppliers. It is noted that there is sufficient formula milk powder to meet the demand.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), Photo source: reference image
The spokesman said, the CFS has been actively following up on Nestlé company's voluntary and precautionary recalls of certain batches of its powdered infant and young children formula in certain areas in Europe due to possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus in the individual raw material. According to the latest information from Nestlé Hong Kong today, an additional batch of its powdered infant and young children formula imported into Hong Kong might have used the raw material concerned. The CFS had earlier enhanced surveillance in the market and collected a sample from the above batch for testing of Bacillus cereus. The test result of the sample was satisfactory. Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall.
Product details are as follows:
Product name (Net weight): NAN PRO 1 2 HMO (800g)
Batch number: 51670742F2
Best-before date: June 16, 2027
Place of Origin: Germany
"The CFS met Nestlé Hong Kong again today, urging them to properly handle the product recall issue and respond to public enquiries, in order to safeguard consumers' legitimate rights and interests. In addition, the CFS and Nestlé Hong Kong have jointly followed up, six suspected affected batches of infant and young children formula products that had not entered the market were marked and sealed. An additional 15 batches are currently en route to Hong Kong and will also be marked and sealed upon arrival. The CFS will continue to closely monitor the recall matters and remain fully committed to ensuring food safety, " the spokesman said.
Nestlé Hong Kong has initiated a recall of the affected batches of the products concerned. For enquiries about the recall, members of the public may contact the company through the following channels:
Consumer services hotline: 2599 8874 / 2797 6031/ 2179 8136 (Monday to Sunday, 9am to 9pm)
Email: consumerservices@hk.nestle.com
WhatsApp: 5283 4139 (NESTLÉ® NAN®) / 2599 8871 (Wyeth® Nutrition)
Online form: forms.office.com/e/BhqMhWfsUG?origin=lprLink
Consumers may choose to bring along the products (brand new or opened) for refund at place of purchase, or at exclusive service counters of Nestlé Nutrition Services from January 13 (Tuesday) onwards, to settle the recall and refund of the batches of the products concerned. Details of the exclusive service counters are as follows:
Kowloon Services Counter
Address: G/F, Park Hovan Commercial Building, 18 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (MTR Jordon Station Exit D)
Contact number: 3996 8196
Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm; Sunday, 1pm to 5.30pm (except public holidays)
Hong Kong Services Counter
Address: 1/F, Ka Nin Wah Commercial Building, 423-425 Hennessy Road, Hong Kong (MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit B)
Contact number: 3996 8197
Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm (except Sundays and public holidays)
The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted earlier that certain batches of Nestlé powdered infant formula were being voluntarily recalled in Europe due to possible contamination with Bacillus cereus. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS has immediately initiated follow up actions, published food incident posts to inform the public and the trade about the issue, and has been actively following up on the incident and enhanced surveillance.
Over the past three days (as of 4pm on January 9), the FEHD received a total of 18 food complaints and enquiries suspected to be related to the infant and young children formula products, including one anonymous complaint without contact information. The CFS and the Environmental Hygiene Branch have promptly followed up on all cases, including contacting the parties concerned to obtain details and collecting samples for testing. In addition, the CFS has referred the cases to the health department for follow-up. At present, no food poisoning cases related to the formula have been recorded.
Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced in food by some strains of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea.
The spokesman urged members of the public not to let infants and young children consume the affected batches of the products, and to seek medical treatment for infants or young children who felt unwell after taking the products concerned. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batches of the products immediately.
"The CFS continues to closely monitor the developments of the situation, follow up and take appropriate action," the spokesman said.
The infant formula of Nestlé, Photo source: online image
