Food Safety Charter

Publicity Campaign on 5 Keys to Food Safety

        By adopting proper food handling practices, most foodborne diseases can be prevented. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has previously developed the Ten Golden Rules for Safe Food Preparation, and subsequently grouped the messages under simpler headings and introduced the 5 Keys to Safer Food poster for spreading WHO’s food hygiene message throughout the world.

        Locally, as reported by the Department of Health, “inadequate cooking” and “contamination by raw food” remained as the top two primary contributing factors for food poisoning outbreaks in Hong Kong in the years 2002 — 2006.

        To gear up community efforts in enhancing food safety, especially during summer months when the risk of food poisoning outbreaks increases, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department considers it timely to launch a mass publicity campaign in mid-2008 promoting the 5 Keys to Food Safety:

        As the highlight of this campaign, there will be two functions: a Food Safety Day, scheduled for 29 June 2008, to officiate the kick-off of the campaign and a Food Safety Charter signing ceremony to be held on 3 July 2008.

        With a view to pooling efforts in the community for motivating people to adopt good practices to enhance food safety, food trade associations & licensed food premises are invited to sign up to the Food Safety Charter.

Mission of the Signatory

        Upon signing the Charter, the signatory is committed to disseminate the message of 5 Keys to Food Safety to its staff, members or clients, as well as to set a good example for the food trade to help build a food safe city.

Obligations of the Signatory

        In order to be qualified as a signatory, individual licensed food premises have to undertake to perform the following activities between July 2008 and June 2009:

• display the “Food Safety Charter” issued by CFS in their food premises;
• display 5 Keys to Food Safety poster(s) of CFS in their food premises; and
• provide training to their staff on 5 Keys to Food Safety.

        For food trade associations, they have to undertake to perform the following activities between July 2008 and June 2009:

• display the “Food Safety Charter” issued by CFS in their premises;
• display 5 Keys to Food Safety poster(s) of CFS in their premises; and
• encourage their members to sign up to the Food Safety Charter.

        Signatories are also encouraged to organise other additional activities between July 2008 and June 2009. Examples of activities include:

• Distribute “5 Keys to Food Safety — Practical Tips for Public” of CFS to clients
• Distribute “5 Keys to Food Safety — Handbook for Trade” of CFS to staff or members
• Arrange their own signing ceremony to demonstrate the commitment of the food trade associations/licensed food premises.

Benefits of the Signatory

        Being signatories of the Food Safety Charter, the food trade associations/ licensed food premises are entitled to the followings:

• their name will be listed in the designated ”Food Safety Charter” webpage of CFS;
• to be provided with a Charter for display in the respective premises, such that their clients can recognise the Charter and enhance their awareness of the campaign;
• to be provided with a toolkit to facilitate the promotion of 5 Keys to Food Safety;
• to attend the food safety seminars organised by CFS between July and September 2008; and
• food trade associations and two of their members will be invited to attend the Food Safety Charter signing ceremony organised by CFS.

In order to facilitate the trade to conduct related activities to achieve their obligations as signatories of the Food Safety Charter, CFS could provide publicity materials on 5 Keys to Food Safety, e.g. posters, booklets, souvenirs, etc. and send representatives to attend their activities.

How to Apply

Phase I
         Food trade associations and their members were invited to sign up to the Food Safety Charter in June 2008. Food trade associations which will like to join can still send their completed Application Form for Food Trade Association, together with completed Application Form for Licensed Food Premises by their members in one batch by fax (fax number : 2787 3638) or mail to Communication Resource Unit, 8/F, Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services Building, 123A Fa Yuen Street, Mongkok, Kowloon. For enquiries, please call 2381 6370.
     

Phase II
         All licensed food premises are invited to sign up to the Food Safety Charter. Licensed food premises are requested to send their completed Application Form for Licensed Food Premises by fax (fax number : 2787 3638) or mail to Communication Resource Unit, 8/F, Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services Building, 123A Fa Yuen Street , Mongkok, Kowloon . For enquiries, please call 2381 6370..