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.
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.
4.Will the Government
consider expanding the list of exemptions?
During the public consultation period and at the technical
meetings with the trade, the Government had collected
views on this issue. It will be further pursued and detailed
discussion will be continued with the trade.
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.
9. Will the scheme
require information on nutrition labels basing on the
test results of the products?
The proposed scheme does not require that the nutrient
information must be obtained from testing. Alternatively,
a common practice of the trade is to calculate the nutrient
information of food products on the basis of the data
provided in food composition databases. In adopting the
calculation method, the trade should have a good understanding
of the type and actual amount of ingredients used, the
manufacturing process of the food products, the retention
factors, and ensure that the data provided in food composition
databases are obtained through internationally accepted
testing methods. The trade must ensure the accuracy of
the information regardless of the method used.
10. Shall tests
be conducted in Hong Kong? Will the Government specify
testing methods or provide a list of recognised commercial
laboratories?
The Government will neither designate specified locations/laboratories
for conducting tests nor specify testing methods. To facilitate
the trade in conforming to the nutrition labelling scheme,
the Government will issue testing guidelines for them
as reference.
11. Will the Government
set tolerance limits of nutrient verification?
Since factors like climate, environment, etc. will affect
the nutrient content of food, the Administration will
set tolerance limits of nutrient verification and consult
the trade at the technical meetings before finalising
the details.
12. If importers/retailers
re-label the products themselves, will the Government
institute prosecution upon detection of discrepancy between
surveillance results obtained from inspections and labelling
information?
Both importers and retailers are responsible for ensuring
the accuracy of the nutrition information on the labels.
Their tasks include sampling of products for conducting
tests by themselves, requesting manufacturers to provide
results of nutrient testing or using the results to do
calculations for verification. The Government will institute
prosecution upon confirmation of violation.
13. Why are overseas
nutrition labels not adopted or accepted by the nutrition
labelling scheme in Hong Kong?
The trade has proposed that Hong Kong should enact legislation
to adopt or accept overseas nutrition information standards
so that imported prepackaged foods do not have to be labelled
in compliance with the local labelling legislation. We
think this is not feasible. Overseas countries/regions
where nutrition labelling scheme has been implemented
enact their own labelling legislations to meet their public
health needs. To enact legislation to adopt or accept
overseas nutrition information standards will give rise
to enforcement difficulties. Local enforcement authorities
will have to enforce the laws of other jurisdictions,
making it extremely difficult for them to collate evidence
to institute prosecution actions. Besides, one of the
main aims of the Government to propose implementation
of nutrition labelling scheme is to facilitate consumers
in making healthy food choices. Consumers will be confused
when interpreting labelling information if different labelling
formats are used by the prepackaged foods on the market.
According to a public opinion survey conducted by FEHD
in January 2004, about 95% of the respondents supported
standardisation of format of nutrition labels. It meets
practical needs and public expectation to require local
and imported prepackaged foods to comply with Hong Kong’s
legislation on nutrition labelling.
14. What kind
of assistance will be provided to the trade, in particular
the small and medium enterprises?
Technical assistance, including drawing up testing methods
as reference for laboratories and relevant guidelines,
will be offered for the trade to provide accurate nutrition
information.
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 Trade
The food trade is advised to:
be conversant with the food laws in
Hong Kong to better understand the legislative requirements,
restrictions and safety standards on food;
closely liaise with overseas suppliers
to ensure that the imported products comply with the
food laws in Hong Kong;
properly label prepackaged foods with
information required by the law, e.g. list of ingredients
and “best before”/“use by” date;
call FEHD’s 24-hour Hotline at 2868
0000 or Citizen’s Easy Link at 1823 for enquires.
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 on 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.
The food trade is advised
to modify the recipes of some dim sum to lower the total
fat, saturated fat and sodium levels in foods by reducing
the amount of cooking oil used, trimming visible fat of
meat, serving the sauces separately if possible and reducing
the use of high-sodium condiments. More food items that
are high in dietary fibre and calcium, such as sliced
fruits and calcium-fortified soy milk, should be added
to the menu.
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 ingredients from reputable
suppliers.
Do not purchase or sell potatoes that
show signs of greening, sprouting, damage or rotting.
Do not serve raw or undercooked vegetables
and fruits which should normally be consumed cooked.
Preparation and 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.
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 sell or serve
potatoes that show signs of greening, sprouting, damage
or rotting and dispose them away.
Cook bitter apricot
seeds thoroughly and limit the portion.
Food
Safety Day 2005
“Food Temperature Control” cum “Signing of Food Safety
Charter”
Temperature control during
food processing is important for the prevention of food
poisoning. To promote this concept to the trade and the
public at large, 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” 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
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
Stickers with messages on temperature
control are enclosed. Please affix them on Food Safety
Day on conspicuous places at the entrance of your premises
and other relevant places such as chillers, freezers,
warming cabinets and cooking areas. Please also distribute
the stickers to your staff for sticking onto their uniforms
so as to remind them on the importance of food temperature
control.
We look forward to your support
and participation in the activity. For details,
please visit FEHD website http://www.fehd.gov.hk
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. 
3.
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