I. Latest Developments of the
Labelling Scheme on Nutrition Information
If
you have been following the news lately, you should have
noticed that the labelling scheme on nutrition information
has again become a topical issue. In April, the Government
reported to the Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety
and Environmental Hygiene on the results of the public
consultation exercise as well as the Regulatory Impact
Assessment in respect of the scheme. A revised proposal
was put forward at the panel meeting (see Annex). The
Government invited different sectors to attend the Panel
meeting in May to express their views. Here is an account
of the latest developments.
Throughout the consultation period which
started in 2003 until the recent formulation of a revised
proposal, the views collected generally indicated that
most people supported the Government’s implementation
of a labelling scheme on nutrition information to promote
public health. However, opinions were divided on the contents
and details of the scheme.
Views from Different Sectors
Views on the scheme generally fell into
two groups:
Views
from the trade mainly include (1) to implement Phase I
of the scheme only, that is, to require nutrition labelling
for *prepackaged foods with nutrient-related claims; (2)
to require labelling of nutrients which are more essential
(i.e. energy plus 3 core nutrients including protein,
carbohydrate and total fat) or to accept source countries’
requirements for nutrition labelling; and (3) to extend
the grace period.
Views from the general public, dietitians
and the health care sector mainly include (1) to label
more nutrients, especially potassium and trans fat; and
(2) to expedite the implementation of the scheme by shortening
the grace period and/or combining the two phases into
one, i.e. to implement the scheme in one go.
The International and Local Scenes
Objectively
speaking, introduction of a nutrition labelling scheme
has become a global trend. Nine countries have implemented
or will enforce mandatory nutrition labelling scheme in
full. They are the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
Brazil, Israel, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Four
countries/areas, namely Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea
and Taiwan, require mandatory labelling for specific types
of prepackaged foods, while 29 countries, including countries
of the European Union, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines,
Indonesia, Mexico, Chile and South Africa, have introduced
legislation to require nutrition labelling for prepackaged
foods with nutrient-related claims. Not only are developed
countries implementing nutrition labelling scheme, more
and more developing countries are doing so as they have
come to recognise its importance in enhancing public health.
In this regard, Hong Kong is certainly lagging behind
many countries and areas of the world.
What is the local situation in respect
of nutrition labelling for prepackaged foods? According
to local market surveys commissioned by FEHD in 2001 and
2004, there was a marked increase in the proportion of
prepackaged foods with nutrition labels and/or nutrition
claims (those with nutrition labels rose from 42% to 50%
while those carry nutrition claims rose from 19% to 28%).
Increasing prevalence of nutrition labelling has to a
certain extent reflected the importance attached by the
trade and the market demand. The Government and the consumers,
without doubt, welcome the growing trend in nutrition
labelling. But currently, different forms of nutrition
labelling are found in the local market, which vary in
their contents, expression and formats, have caused confusion
to consumers and make it difficult for them to compare
the nutrient contents among different products. Besides,
some nutrition information on the labels fails to meet
the need of consumers, and some labels even carry false
information.
A public opinion survey on nutrition
labelling conducted in 2004 found that 95% of the respondents
supported introducing regulatory control on nutrition
labelling; 87% considered nutrition information important;
81% indicated that if all prepackaged foods would be labelled
with nutrition information, they would use such information;
95% supported standardization of format of nutrition labels.
After taking into account the overall savings in health
care and the possible slight increase in the price of
some products, 89% of the respondents still supported
the implementation of a labelling scheme on nutrition
information. Consumers’ views on the scheme showed
that they need accurate, standardised and detailed nutrition
information to facilitate them in making food choices
to stay healthy.
The Government’s Role and the Revised
Proposal
Introduction
of a new policy will always affect certain sector of the
community and it is the Government’s role to strike
a balance among the interests of the sectors concerned
to achieve a win-win situation as far as practicable.
Our latest proposal aims at (1) reducing the costs incurred
by the trade at the initial implementation of the new
scheme to facilitate the trade in conforming to the requirements
of the scheme. Based on the original proposal (i.e. to
require labelling of energy plus 9 core nutrients), the
Government now proposes that only energy plus 5 core nutrients
are required to be listed at Phase I. Besides, the Government
proposes to reduce the scope of regulatory control at
Phase I to cover only prepackaged foods with nutrient-related
claims. Our latest proposal also aims at (2) meeting the
community’s need in order to achieve the long-term
goal of enhancing public health. In this connection, the
revised proposal will expedite the implementation of a
comprehensive nutrition labelling scheme by implementing
Phase II two years after Phase I. The Government believes
that the revised proposal will cut medical expenses, prevent
loss of productivity and minimise early deaths, bringing
considerable benefits to Hong Kong in the long run.
The Government will continue to discuss
with the trade on the technicality of implementing the
scheme and enhance public education on nutrition labelling.
For more information about the latest proposal and nutrition
labelling, please visit the following websites:
*“Prepackaged foods with nutrient-related
claims” refers to foods which specifically mention
certain nutrient contents on their packaging. Examples
are “high calcium fresh milk”, “low sugar
drinks” and “high fibre instant noodles”.
Annex: Main areas to be put under
regulatory control based on the latest proposal on nutrition
labelling (Revised in April 2005)
Having considered the local health situation,
views collected during the consultation exercise and the
results of the Regulatory Impact Assessment, the Government
proposes to introduce a labelling scheme on nutrition
information in Hong Kong in two phases and the main areas
to be put under regulatory control are as follows:
Coverage
Phase I - Labelling is required for
prepackaged foods with nutrient-related claims
Phase II - All prepackaged foods other
than the exempted items
Nutrients required for labelling
Phase I - Energy plus 5 core nutrients
including protein, carbohydrate, total fat, saturated
fat and sodium
Phase II - Energy plus 9 core nutrients
including protein, carbohydrate, total fat, saturated
fat, sodium, cholesterol, sugars, dietary fibre and
calcium
Grace period
Phase I - Two years on enactment of
the relevant legislation
Phase II - Two years after the implementation
of Phase I
Frequently Asked Questions about
the Labelling Scheme on Nutrition Information:
1. Will nutrition labels have
to be bilingual (i.e. Chinese and English)?
The proposed nutrition labelling scheme will be implemented
by making reference to the requirements under the existing
Foods and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations.
If both English and Chinese are used in the labelling
or marking of prepackaged food, the name, list of ingredients
and nutrition information of the food should appear in
both languages, otherwise labelling in either English
or Chinese is allowed. However, the shelf-life of food
must be set out in both English and Chinese (i.e. the
labels must contain the expressions “best before此日期前最佳”
or “use by此日期前食用”).
2. Will the format of nutrition
labels be regulated under the proposed scheme?
Under the proposal, nutrition labels must conform to a
particular way for expressing nutrient content, the basic
format being to express the energy or nutrient content
in absolute amount in kilocalories/metric unit per 100g
of food. In addition, nutrition labels should be displayed
conspicuously on the package. As for the other requirements
of the labelling format, such as the order of information
to be displayed and font size, the Government will consult
the trade at the technical meetings before finalizing
the details. At present, there is no plan to regulate
the format of the labels other than those expressing the
nutrient contents.
3. Why are infant/follow-up formulae,
foods for infant and young children, and other foods for
special dietary uses excluded from the ambit of the labelling
scheme on nutrition information?
The proposed scheme does not apply to these foods because
the dietary requirements of infants, young children and
those with special dietary needs are different from ordinary
people. Besides, these foods are normally dealt with separately
under the nutrition labelling regulations/guidelines of
Codex Alimentarius Commission and overseas countries.
4.
Will “soft drinks” be exempted from nutrition
labelling?
Products (i.e. “Coke”, “Cream Soda”
etc.) commonly known as “soft drinks” usually
contain ingredients such as sugar/sweetener and flavouring
in addition to carbon dioxide. Such products are not on
the exemption list.
5. Will the Government draw up
any requirements for nutrient content claims?
The Government proposes to adopt the Table of Conditions
for Nutrient Content Claims included in the Codex Guidelines
for Use of Nutrition Claims. The trade will have to follow
the conditions specified in the Table for making appropriate
nutrient content claims.
6. Will the nutrition labelling
scheme cover health foods and slimming foods?
Foods sold in Hong Kong (including health foods and slimming
foods) are regulated by the respective laws, depending
on the ingredients of the foods concerned. In general,
products which do not contain Western drugs or Chinese
medicine are regarded as food. The proposed nutrition
labelling scheme will apply to all prepackaged foods.
7. What is the difference between
a nutrient function claim and a health claim?
Nutrient function claim is a claim that describes the
physiological role of a nutrient in growth, development
and normal functions of the body (e.g. Product X is high
in calcium. Calcium aids in the development of strong
bones and teeth.). There is no mention of treatment or
prevention of diseases in the claim. As for the health
claims commonly seen, most of them relate to body functions,
treatment or prevention of diseases or conditions in particular.
8. Will health claims be regulated
under the proposed nutrition labelling scheme?
Since health claims contain information about physical
health and disease prevention, etc., such claims will
not be regulated under the proposed nutrition labelling
scheme. However, noting that health claims have aroused
public concern in recent years, the Health, Welfare and
Food Bureau has conducted a consultation exercise on the
regulation of health claims and submitted proposed legislative
amendments to the Legislative Council. The amendments
are now under deliberation by the Council.
II. Prohibited Dye in Food - Sudan I and Para Red
In
recent months, some food products around the world have
to be recalled for containing industrial dyes Sudan I
and Para Red. To learn more about the issue, I have done
some research and let me put you in the picture.
As early as February 2005, some food
products in the UK were found to contain Sudan I. Some
local food manufacturers had used a chilli powder containing
Sudan I to manufacture a sauce, which was then used as
an ingredient in soup, sauce, potato chips, semi-products
and instant food.
Sudan I is a
red dye used for colouring solvents, waxes, petrol, shoe
and floor polishes. According to the evaluation made by
the International Agency for Research on Cancer, there
is inadequate evidence on the carcinogenicity of Sudan
I in humans.
On 21 April 2005, the UK Food Standards
Agency found two dining kits for enchiladas and burritos
of a certain brand contained a dye called Para Red. Subsequently,
a chilli ingredient containing Para Red was found in 35
food products. Although the amount of the dye is unlikely
to pose a threat to human health, it is prudent to act
with caution.
Para
Red is a red printing ink. Both Para Red and Sudan I are
industrial chemical dyes not permitted to be used in food
colouring.
The two dyes involved in both food incidents
will not cause immediate health hazards to human and there
is no need to panic. The Colouring Matters in Food Regulations
(Cap. 132H) of the Laws of Hong Kong has stipulated Sudan
I and Para Red as non-permitted colouring matters. Testing
for non-permitted colouring matters in food samples has
already been included in the regular food surveillance
programme conducted by the Food and Environmental Hygiene
Department (FEHD). Food samples found in Hong Kong that
contain Sudan I are mainly imported chilli products such
as chilli powder and chilli oil. Major retailers in Hong
Kong have stopped selling food products that may contain
Sudan I or Para Red.
Advice to Consumers
When purchasing food, consumers should:
purchase food from reputable sources;
read carefully the information on
the nutrition label of pre-packaged food such as the
list of ingredients and the “best-before”
date;
not buy in case of doubt; and
call FEHD’s 24-hour Hotline at
2868 0000 or Citizen’s Easy Link at 1823 for enquiries.
III. Maintaining Balanced Nutrition
While Consuming Chinese Dim-sum
Food is the source of energy and nutrients.
The human body needs energy to carry out daily activities
while nutrients are vital for growth, tissue repair and
staying healthy. Knowing the nutrient content of food
facilitates the making of healthy food choices. To establish
a database on nutrient composition of local food items,
FEHD has been conducting nutrient analyses of various
kinds on food ever since 2002. We have recently completed
a study of the nutrient values of Chinese dim sum, the
findings of which were released in mid-April this year.
A total of 75 common Chinese dim sum
items were selected and samples were taken from different
food premises for study. Chemical analyses were conducted
to determine the content of energy and nine nutrients,
namely, carbohydrate, protein, total fat, saturated fat,
cholesterol, dietary fibre, sugar, sodium and calcium.
From the nutritional point of view, there
is no good or bad food. To achieve a balanced diet, it
is important to pay attention to the quantity and combination
of the food consumed. The results of the study show that
the total fat, saturated fat and sodium contents of some
Chinese dim sum are quite high, whilst the calcium and
dietary fibre contents are generally low. We should therefore
choose different kinds of food to get the necessary nutrients
and to reduce the risk of excessive intake of a particular
nutrient.
To maintain a balanced diet, members
of the public are advised to choose their food carefully
when having Chinese dim sum meals. They should:
choose Chinese dim sum that are rich
in complex carbohydrate and low in fat, such as steamed
rice-roll and steamed bun, as the staple food;
consume about half plate of boiled
vegetable per person (preferably without sauce) to get
enough dietary fibre;
consume steamed salty dim sum in moderate
amount as some of them are high in fat and sodium;
choose less pan-fried and deep-fried
dim sum to avoid excessive intake of fat and energy;
and
avoid consuming the soup of rice-in-soup
and noodles-in-soup.
As the calcium content of most Chinese
dim sum is low, Chinese dim sum meals should be supplemented
by other food items that are rich in calcium, such as
dairy products, bean curd and green leafy vegetables.
This ensures a sufficient intake of calcium and minimises
the risk of osteoporosis. It is also advisable to consume
sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables to get adequate
amount of dietary fibre which in turn improves gastrointestinal
health and reduces the risk of certain types of cancers.
Some reports have pointed to the “trimming”
effect of Chinese tea, but there is still inadequate scientific
evidence to prove that tea can effectively reduce the
intake or accumulation of fat. To maintain a balanced
diet, it is most important to watch the quantity and combination
of food consumed.
Recent food poisoning cases in the Mainland
suspected to be related to natural toxins in green beans
have aroused much public concern. In fact, many plants
(including some common vegetables and fruits) contain
natural toxins to protect themselves against pests and
predators. Nevertheless, careful selection and preparation
of these foods can minimize the risk of food poisoning.
What are the vegetables and fruits that contain natural
toxins?
Natural toxins are present in certain
beans, cassavas, bamboo shoots, fruit seeds and stones,
fresh Jin Zhen, potatoes, etc.
1. Beans, such
as green beans, red kidney beans and white kidney
beans of the Phaseolus vulgaris species,
contain a toxin known as phytohaemagglutinin. Consumption
of these raw or undercooked beans may cause food poisoning
with symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea within
one to three hours. Research results have shown that
heating of these beans to 80°C not only fails to
destroy the phytohaemagglutinin but may even increase
the toxicity. For safe consumption, soak the beans
thoroughly and cook them well at boiling temperature
to have the toxic substance destroyed.
2. Fresh Jin
Zhen – It is the bud of a kind of lily
harvested before blossoming. The flowers and roots
of the plant contain a toxin known as colchicines.
Consumption of fresh Jin Zhen that has not been well
soaked in water and thoroughly cooked may result in
food poisoning with symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort
like abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Commercially
processed Jin Zhen and dried Jin Zhen are safe to
eat as the colchicines have been destroyed during
processing.
3. Potatoes – Potatoes
contain toxic glycoalkaloids, but the levels are usually
too low to have any adverse effects on human upon consumption.
However, potatoes that show signs of greening, sprouting,
damage or rotting contain high level of glycoalkaloids,
the majority of which are present in the green area, in
the skin, or right below the skin. Potatoes with high
levels of glycoalkaloids have a bitter taste. Symptoms
of poisoning include a burning sensation in the mouth,
severe stomach ache, nausea and vomiting. Cooking cannot
destroy glycoalkaloids and it is better to avoid eating
potatoes that show signs of greening, sprouting, damage
or rotting.
4. Cassavas and bamboo shoots
– The root of cassava plants and fresh bamboo shoots
contain cyanogenic glycoside. The bitter type of cassavas
contains more toxin than the sweet ones. Ingestion of
raw or undercooked cassavas or bamboo shoots will allow
the cyanogenic glycoside to transform into toxic hydrogen
cyanides in human body and result in food poisoning. Symptoms
of hydrogen cyanide poisoning, which may occur within
a few minutes, include constriction of the throat, nausea,
vomiting, headache and even death in severe cases.
5. Fruit seeds and stones
– These refer to seeds or stones (the large hard parts
at the centre of some fruits) of apples, pears, apricots,
plums, prunes, peaches, cherries, etc. The pulp of these
fruits is non-toxic, but the seeds and stones (such as
bitter apricot seeds) contain cyanogenic glycoside. Chewing
these fresh stones or seeds will transform the cyanogenic
glycosides into toxic hydrogen cyanides. Young children
may be poisoned by hydrogen cyanides by ingesting only
a few seeds or stones. Symptoms of poisoning are the same
as those caused by cassavas and bamboo shoots.
How to Reduce the Risk of Food Poisoning?
Selection:
Purchase food from reputable sources.
Do not patronize illegal hawkers.
Do not purchase or consume potatoes
that show signs of greening, sprouting, damage or rotting.
Preparation and Consumption:
Do not eat vegetables and fruits raw
if they should normally be consumed cooked. Cook thoroughly
before consumption.
Soak beans such as green beans, red
kidney beans and white kidney beans thoroughly in water
and cook them well at boiling temperature. Slice fresh
cassavas and bamboo shoots and cook them thoroughly
as well.
Do not use raw or undercooked green
beans, red kidney beans or white kidney beans for salad
since even a few undercooked beans can cause food poisoning.
Soak fresh Jin Zhen well in water
and cook thoroughly.
Store potatoes in shade, cool and
dry place. Do not consume potatoes that show signs of
greening, sprouting, damage or rotting. Discard them
instead.
Do not eat the seeds or stones of
fruits like apples, pears, apricots, plums, prunes,
peaches, cherries etc.
Cook bitter apricot seeds thoroughly
and consume in moderation.
Food
Safety Day 2005
“Food Temperature Control” cum “Signing
of Food Safety Charter”
To promote food safety among
the public and the trade, the Food and Environmental Hygiene
Department (FEHD) and Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK)
jointly organize Food Safety Day 2005 — “Food
Temperature Control” cum “Signing of Food Safety
Charter” featuring performances, game booths and
exhibition with a view to:
arouse the awareness of the public
and food trade about food safety;
enhance the knowledge and skills of
the public and food trade on proper temperature control
to prevent food borne diseases;
promote importance of the tripartite
collaboration among the Government, food trade and public
to ensure food safety;
solicit the support of major stakeholders
in upholding food safety.
Members of the trade and the public
are welcome to the activity.
Details
Date: 24 July 2005 (Sunday)
Time: 3 to 5 p.m.
Venue: Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill, Kowloon
Organizers: FEHD, RTHK
Guests: Legislative Councillors, trade representatives,
celebrities and pop singers.
Features: pop singers’ performance, game booths and
exhibition
If
you have been following the news lately, you should have
noticed that the labelling scheme on nutrition information
has again become a topical issue. In April, the Government
reported to the Legislative Council Panel on Food Safety
and Environmental Hygiene on the results of the public
consultation exercise as well as the Regulatory Impact
Assessment in respect of the scheme. A revised proposal
was put forward at the panel meeting (see Annex). The
Government invited different sectors to attend the Panel
meeting in May to express their views. Here is an account
of the latest developments.
Views
from the trade mainly include (1) to implement Phase I
of the scheme only, that is, to require nutrition labelling
for *prepackaged foods with nutrient-related claims; (2)
to require labelling of nutrients which are more essential
(i.e. energy plus 3 core nutrients including protein,
carbohydrate and total fat) or to accept source countries’
requirements for nutrition labelling; and (3) to extend
the grace period.
Objectively
speaking, introduction of a nutrition labelling scheme
has become a global trend. Nine countries have implemented
or will enforce mandatory nutrition labelling scheme in
full. They are the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
Brazil, Israel, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Four
countries/areas, namely Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea
and Taiwan, require mandatory labelling for specific types
of prepackaged foods, while 29 countries, including countries
of the European Union, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines,
Indonesia, Mexico, Chile and South Africa, have introduced
legislation to require nutrition labelling for prepackaged
foods with nutrient-related claims. Not only are developed
countries implementing nutrition labelling scheme, more
and more developing countries are doing so as they have
come to recognise its importance in enhancing public health.
In this regard, Hong Kong is certainly lagging behind
many countries and areas of the world. 
Introduction
of a new policy will always affect certain sector of the
community and it is the Government’s role to strike
a balance among the interests of the sectors concerned
to achieve a win-win situation as far as practicable.
Our latest proposal aims at (1) reducing the costs incurred
by the trade at the initial implementation of the new
scheme to facilitate the trade in conforming to the requirements
of the scheme. Based on the original proposal (i.e. to
require labelling of energy plus 9 core nutrients), the
Government now proposes that only energy plus 5 core nutrients
are required to be listed at Phase I. Besides, the Government
proposes to reduce the scope of regulatory control at
Phase I to cover only prepackaged foods with nutrient-related
claims. Our latest proposal also aims at (2) meeting the
community’s need in order to achieve the long-term
goal of enhancing public health. In this connection, the
revised proposal will expedite the implementation of a
comprehensive nutrition labelling scheme by implementing
Phase II two years after Phase I. The Government believes
that the revised proposal will cut medical expenses, prevent
loss of productivity and minimise early deaths, bringing
considerable benefits to Hong Kong in the long run. 
4.
Will “soft drinks” be exempted from nutrition
labelling?
In
recent months, some food products around the world have
to be recalled for containing industrial dyes Sudan I
and Para Red. To learn more about the issue, I have done
some research and let me put you in the picture.
Para
Red is a red printing ink. Both Para Red and Sudan I are
industrial chemical dyes not permitted to be used in food
colouring.
Last
review date: 01-11-2005