Introduction Practical Guide List of Licensed/Permitted Food Premises Agreed to Voluntarily Observe the Guide
List of Online Food Platforms/Food Delivery Agents Agreed to Voluntarily Observe the Guide Registration of Confirmation to Voluntarily Observe the Guide Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

General

  1. What is the consequence if the requirements stated in the Guide are not fulfilled?
    Answer : The Guide lays down the conditions for hygienic handling of meals during delivery for all relevant business operators' reference and voluntary observance.  Except for the provisions which are being regulated by laws and relevant licensing conditions, failure to fulfill other provisions in the Guide will not lead to criminal prosecution.
  2. Is it necessary to observe the Guide when delivering other food items such as canned food?
    Answer : The Guide sets out the actions that relevant business operators should take when handling meals ready for consumption.  It does not cover other food items such as groceries or canned food.
  3. Can customers lodge a complaint in case the requirements stated in the Guide are not fulfilled?
    Answer : The Guide lays down the conditions for hygienic handling of meals during delivery for all relevant business operators' reference and voluntary observance.  Customers may approach the relevant business operators if they are not satisfied with the services provided.  However, if the food is found unclean, containing foreign substances or not suitable for consumption, customers may call the 24-hour hotline 2868 0000 or 1823 to lodge a complaint with the FEHD.

Food Premises

  1. My restaurant will arrange for our staff to deliver meals to customers.  In this case, am I required to observe the Guide?
    Answer : Food premises operators are subject to the food delivery requirements stipulated in the relevant licensing conditions of their licences/permits, regardless of whether the delivery of meals is conducted by their staff or a third party food delivery agent arranged or engaged by them.  Furthermore, food premises operators are advised to observe the Guide so as to reduce the risk of foodborne diseases when providing take-away meals and meal delivery services.
  2. I am a meal box supplier providing meals for schools, am I required to observe the Guide?
    Answer : Operators of licensed food factories supplying meal boxes and their sub-contractors should fulfill the food delivery requirements stipulated in the relevant licensing conditions.  Furthermore, such operators are advised to observe the Guide when handling and arranging the delivery of meal boxes so as to reduce the risk of foodborne diseases.
  3. Do I need to pack the ordered cold drinks with cooling gel for delivery?
    Answer : To ensure food safety, if the ordered foods for delivery belong to restricted foods set out in Schedule 2 of the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X) and require refrigeration (such as sushi and sashimi), food premises operators should pack such foods in containers with cooling gel or other like materials so as to keep the foods at the optimal storage temperature of 4°C or below during delivery.  Other cold foods (such as cold drinks) are preferably packed in containers separate from hot foods.  The operators may also choose to provide cooling gel or other like materials for containers of cold foods according to needs.
  4. Is there any prescribed specification for the tamper-evident device used for packing meals?
    Answer : To prevent food tampering, food premises operators should use containers/packaging with specific design or tamper-evident devices.  There is no standard specification for the design or tamper-evident devices of the containers/packaging provided that the design or devices can serve the anti-tampering purpose.
  5. Can I affix the order sheet showing the customer’s order time to the packaging instead of marking the food preparation or packing time?
    Answer : Meals should be delivered to customers as soon as possible after preparation.  To avoid prolonged storage of food after preparation, either the preparation time or packing time of the meals ordered should be marked or labelled conspicuously on the containers/temper-evident devices/packaging.  Any mark/label that can serve that purpose will suffice.

Online Food Platform/Food Delivery Agents

  1. How can we verify the validity of the food business licence of food premises?
    Answer : The list of licensed/permitted food premises is available on the FEHD's website: https://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/list_licensed_premises.html
  2. Is long distance food order not allowed under the Guide?
    Answer : Meals should be delivered to customers as soon as possible after preparation and the delivery should be completed within one hour if a food warming device or a food refrigerating device is not available.  To ensure food safety, it is not advised to accept orders requiring a relatively long delivery time especially those involving high-risk foods.

Food Deliverers

  1. What are restricted foods?
    Answer : Restricted foods specified in the Guide refer to the foods set out in Schedule 2 of the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), such as sushi and sashimi.
  2. If the meals to be delivered contain restricted foods requiring refrigeration, how should such foods be handled during delivery?
    Answer : If the meals to be delivered contain restricted foods requiring refrigeration, the food premises operator should pack such foods in containers with cooling gel or other like materials and separate them from hot foods.  The deliverers should pack such foods in insulated boxes or bags solely for transportation of cold foods so as to keep the foods cool at or below 4°C as far as practicable while in transit.
  3. Is it necessary to bring along a thermometer to ensure that cold foods (particularly restricted foods requiring refrigeration) are kept at or below 4°C while in transit?
    Answer : Cold foods are preferably kept at the optimal storage temperature during delivery.  If the meals to be delivered contain restricted foods requiring refrigeration, such foods should be packed in insulated boxes or bags solely for transportation of cold food.  Deliverers should deliver the meals to customers as soon as possible after picking up the meals from food premises so as to minimise changes in food temperature during delivery.
  4. According to the Guide, meals should be delivered to customers within one hour after preparation; however, food premises are only required to mark either the food preparation or packing time on the packaging.  How can I know when the food is prepared?
    Answer : If hot food is not kept in a warming device or cold food is not kept in a refrigerating device in the course of transportation, the food should be delivered to customers within one hour after preparation.  As food premises should keep hot food in a warmer at above 60°C and cold food in a refrigerator at or below 4°C after food preparation and before packing as far as possible, deliverers may take the time marked/labelled on the containers/tamper-evident devices/packaging as the food preparation time.