Restaurants must go all the way on safety amid delivery boom

Authorities plan to include clear terms on licensing conditions for restaurants to ensure the safety of takeaway and delivered foods, especially as food delivery online platforms have become more mainstream amid the pandemic.

That comes after the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department received 164 complaints regarding food safety last year, more than double the 64 complaints lodged in 2020 and a huge surge compared with just nine in 2019.

Customs officers also received 77 complaints concerning false trade descriptions and misleading omissions last year, up from 20 in 2020.

Of the 164 complaints, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said prosecutions have been made against the operators of the food premises in two of the cases, which involved foreign substances found in food. "The persons connected with these cases were convicted," she said.

Chan said the department plans to "make clear" that restaurants must ensure that food delivered by an online platform or delivery service contractor meets the requirements of the relevant licensing conditions.

Some of the conditions include that food must be stored at a safe and proper temperature at all times and kept free from tampering during transportation to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Chan also said the Centre for Food Safety has issued a reminder to major local online food delivery service providers on precautions to be taken amid Covid, urging them to maintain cleanliness and hygiene and ensure proper temperature control for food deliveries.

She added that help can be sought from the Consumer Council if necessary to settle disputes with traders.

Under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, all food for sale to people, whether imported or locally produced, must meet standards for human consumption. Offenders may be subjected to a maximum fine of HK$50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.