DH Reviews Chinese Materia Medica Standards with Global Experts to Enhance Quality and Safety in Hong Kong

2026-07-14 19:35 Last Updated At：07-16 15:12

DH convenes 14th Meeting of International Advisory Board on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards

The Department of Health (DH) today (July 14) convened the 14th Meeting of the International Advisory Board (IAB) on Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards (HKCMMS) to review the reference standards for 16 types of Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) commonly used in Hong Kong, and to discuss the future development of the HKCMMS. Over 60 experts from the Chinese Mainland, overseas and Hong Kong attended the meeting.

Since 2002, the DH has been implementing the HKCMMS project in phases to develop standards for commonly used CMM in Hong Kong to ensure their safety and quality.

In his opening remarks, the Director of Health and the Chairperson of the IAB, Dr Ronald Lam, said, "One of the key initiatives of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute (GCMTI) under the DH is the implementation of the HKCMMS. With the publication of the Volume 12 of the HKCMMS, standards for 357 types of CMM have been established so far. They have become widely recognised international reference standards for Chinese medicine testing and certification, thereby promoting the high-quality scientific development of Chinese medicine. In addition, the work of GCMTI is closely aligned with national priorities. The National 15th Five-Year Plan made it clear that we need to 'advance the inheritance and innovation of Chinese medicine' and 'promote the integration of Chinese and Western medicine'. It also calls for us to 'strengthen the conservation and utilisation of Chinese medicine resources', 'improve the quality of Chinese medicine, and build up and strengthen the Chinese medicine industry'. These are exactly the goals that the HKCMMS Project is helping to achieve - by setting rigorous quality standards for CMM and conducting applied research and development on testing methods that underpin the entire industry, establishing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as a bridgehead for the global expansion of Chinese Medicine."

Dr Lam emphasised that the success of the HKCMMS project depends on the active collaboration of stakeholders across different sectors. He expressed his sincere appreciation to the four research partners attending the meeting, commending their dedicated contributions to advancing the project's research efforts. They were the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the China Medical University. He also thanked the Government Laboratory for conducting inter-laboratory verification studies. Dr Lam emphasised that these collaborations are crucial for establishing a rigorous and solid scientific foundation for the HKCMMS and gaining international credibility. The DH is also deeply grateful to the National Medical Products Administration, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission for their continuous valuable advice and support in developing the HKCMMS. To align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan to advance the inheritance, innovation and high-quality development of Chinese medicine, expand and promote Chinese medicine culture, the DH will continue to steadfastly promote the development of Chinese medicine and better integrate into and serve the overall national development.

The two-day meeting brought together experts from the Chinese Mainland, Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as representatives from research institutions, the DH and the Government Laboratory of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The 16 types of CMM commonly used in Hong Kong that were discussed at the meeting included Bambusae Caulis in Taenias, Pyrolae Herba, Natrii Sulfas, Dichroae Radix, Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma, Cynanchi Atrati Radix et Rhizoma, Jasmini Flos, Tinosporae Caulis, Inulae Flos, Haematitum, Lasiosphaera seu Calvatia, Vespae Nidus, Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Aconiti Kusnezoffii Folium, Meliae Cortex and Tripterygii Wilfordii Radix.

Previous editions of the HKCMMS can be accessed at the website of the Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office of the DH.

CFS Warns Against Consuming Contaminated French Pepper & Feta Spread Due to Listeria Risk

CFS urges public not to consume batch of imported spread product suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 18) urged the public not to consume a batch of spread product imported from France due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Ktipiti Extra Red Pepper & Feta Cheese Spread

Brand: L'atelier Blini

Place of origin: France

Net weight: 175 grams

Batch number: 12262661

Use-by date: August 30, 2026

Importer: City Super Limited

"The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted a notification from the Rappel Conso of France that the above-mentioned product is being recalled as it might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes due to suspected issue with the cold chain. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers to follow up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batch of the product concerned," a spokesman for the CFS said.

As a precautionary measure, the importer concerned has stopped sales and removed from shelves the affected batch of the product and has initiated a recall according to the CFS's instructions. Members of the public may call the importer's hotline at 2736 3866 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

"Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperatures. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicaemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns," the spokesman added.

"In order to reduce the risk of listeriosis, susceptible populations such as pregnant women should consume freshly prepared hot food where possible, reheat chilled food until it is hot all the way through, and avoid high-risk foods, including ready-to-eat food such as cold cuts, cold smoked seafood, soft cheeses, salads, etc, or cook them thoroughly before consumption, even if they are presented as part of a dish."

The spokesman advised members of the public to stop consuming the affected batch of the product and seek medical treatment if they feel unwell after consuming the product concerned.

The CFS has contacted the French authority over the incident and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. The investigation is ongoing.

DH Reviews Chinese Materia Medica Standards with Global Experts to Enhance Quality and Safety in Hong Kong

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