Govt dismisses proposal to establish standard for 'prepared dishes'

The government dismissed the lawmakers' proposal to establish a precise and clear definition of "premade dishes" on Thursday, reaffirming that all food items sold in the city must comply with existing legislation.

The statement follows Xibei, a popular Chinese restaurant chain, has faced significant backlash after allegations by entrepreneur and internet celebrity Luo Yonghao that it serves premade dishes, particularly in its "kid meal set."

In a written response to lawmakers' inquiry, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan stated that "prepared dishes" is a new term that has yet to have a standardized international definition. 

He noted that interpretations vary among different members of the trade and consumers, though it generally refers to finished or semi-finished foods upon processing and cooking, including dishes that only require reheating before consumption.

Tse warned that mandatory labeling for "prepared dishes" would pose enforcement challenges and could lead to disputes between restaurants and consumers.

He added that the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has issued advice on "prepared dishes", following a proposed notice on the formulation of the item's standards from mainland authorities last year.
 
Tse also reported that the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department conducted over 446,000 inspections and initiated 4,215 prosecutions for food safety irregularities from 2023 through August this year. 

However, the authorities do not maintain separate statistics for "prepared dishes," as all food premises are held to the same hygiene standards.

Tse pledged that the government would continue to monitor the development of "prepared dishes" on the mainland and locally, and take appropriate measures to protect public health and support the food industry's development.