A comprehensive food safety law is being drafted to regulate items of higher risk, or of wide public concern, the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau says. Priority will be given to farmed aquatic produce, vegetables and fruit.

The bill will strengthen management of the food supply chain through a new regulatory approach, which imposes a registration scheme on food importers and distributors.

Accompanied by other regulatory measures such as mandatory recall of problematic food and the requirement of health certificates for the import of certain items, the new law can provide a more comprehensive food safety regime for imported food.

It will enable the Government to place food items which need regulation under the ambit of the new law in the swiftest way in accordance with changes in environment and needs.

The legislative proposals will be forwarded for discussion in the next legislative session and submitted to the Legislative Council after consolidating views from different sectors.

Before the new law is implemented, the Government will introduce a voluntary registration system to encourage the trade to become registered importers so they can make early adjustments to the overall regulatory regime.