CFS inspects fast food stalls at Chinese New Year fairs
The 2026 Chinese New Year (CNY) fairs are being held at 14 locations across the territory. The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has arranged for staff to inspect the fast food stalls at CNY fairs and distribute booklets to remind stall operators of food safety.
A spokesman for the CFS said today (February 14) that, to safeguard food safety and public health, CFS officers have provided health education on food safety and hygiene and distributed booklets to person-in-charge of fast food stalls at various CNY fairs, reminding them to pay more attention to food safety and environmental hygiene and take food safety measures in their operations for producing and supplying wholesome and safe food.
Moreover, the CFS has collected food samples, including mock sharks-fin soup, stinky tofu, curry fish ball and Shanghai style steamed pork dumpling, from the fast food stalls at CNY fairs for microbiological tests.
The CFS urges food business operators and food handlers to adopt the following measures to ensure food safety:
- order food ingredients from reliable suppliers;
- keep hands and utensils clean, and food handlers should wash or sanitise their hands thoroughly before preparing food;
- separate raw and cooked food, such as using separate knives and chopping boards to handle raw and cooked food;
- cook food thoroughly with the core temperature of all ingredients reaching 75 degrees Celsius or above for at least 30 seconds;
- keep food at safe temperatures that hot food should be kept at above 60 degrees C while cold food should be properly covered and neatly stored at 4 degrees C or below in the refrigerator; and
- avoid keeping food under room temperature for prolonged period, and follow the "two-hour/four-hour rule" in cases without temperature control, i.e. if cooked food is kept at room temperature for less than two hours, it can be refrigerated for later use or consumed within four-hour time limit; if cooked food has been kept at room temperature for more than two hours and less than four hours, it should be consumed within the four-hour time limit but cannot be refrigerated again. Cooked food that has been held at room temperature for more than four hours should be discarded.
Photo shows a CFS officer providing health education on food safety and hygiene and distributing booklets to remind fast food stall operators of food safety. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Photo shows a CFS officer providing health education on food safety and hygiene and distributing booklets to remind fast food stall operators of food safety. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Photo shows a CFS officer providing health education on food safety and hygiene and distributing booklets to remind fast food stall operators of food safety. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Brussels ETO holds receptions in Spain and Ireland to celebrate Chinese New Year with local communities
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (Brussels ETO) organised Chinese New Year receptions in Barcelona, Spain, on March 4 (Barcelona time), and Dublin, Ireland, on March 5 (Dublin time), bringing together over 220 guests from local business, public and community sectors in the two countries.
Jointly organised by Brussels ETO, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), with the support of the Spain Hong Kong Business Association, the reception in Barcelona was held to coincide with the Mobile World Congress (MWC), and was well attended by guests including the Hong Kong innovation and technology (I&T) delegation attending the MWC, as well as local start-ups, enterprises and related institutions.
In her welcoming remarks, the Special Representative for the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung, highlighted that I&T had become a new growth engine for Hong Kong. "We are building a more complete innovation value chain, one that integrates basic research, commercialisation and advanced manufacturing," she said.
Ms Yung also mentioned that Hong Kong achieved a new milestone of having over 5 200 start-ups last year, representing an 11 per cent year-on-year increase. She encouraged European companies, talent and students to come to Hong Kong to leverage the opportunities arising from the rapid development of the I&T sector and related infrastructure in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Northern Metropolis.
Hong Kong's wine and liquor trade as well as related business opportunities were the special focus of the reception in Dublin. Together with the HKTDC and InvestHK, with the support of the Dublin Chamber, Brussels ETO held a business seminar before the reception with the local liquor trade to promote the business opportunities that Hong Kong offers as a leading hub for wine and liquor trading and auctions, following Hong Kong's reduction of duty on liquor with an alcoholic strength of more than 30 per cent in 2024.
Ms Yung also highlighted Hong Kong's premier role as a gateway to the Chinese Mainland and Asia, with the city strategically located at the heart of the region with world-class transport connectivity. She encouraged Irish wine and liquor traders to leverage Hong Kong as a regional hub for trading, distribution, and auctions to expand their market share on the Chinese Mainland and across the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Brussels ETO holds receptions in Spain and Ireland to celebrate Chinese New Year with local communities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Brussels ETO holds receptions in Spain and Ireland to celebrate Chinese New Year with local communities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Brussels ETO holds receptions in Spain and Ireland to celebrate Chinese New Year with local communities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Brussels ETO holds receptions in Spain and Ireland to celebrate Chinese New Year with local communities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Brussels ETO holds receptions in Spain and Ireland to celebrate Chinese New Year with local communities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Brussels ETO holds receptions in Spain and Ireland to celebrate Chinese New Year with local communities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
