Playtimes HK Magazine Winter Issue 2019 | Page 58

lifestyle process in place in case a food safety issue occurs. If it does, traceability will help you pinpoint the source of the issue and the scope of any potential incident. Because of its essential role in maintaining food safety, traceability requires producers to have sound, integrated systems in place to ensure effective controls, both in day-to-day operations but also in the case of a contamination or other safety issues. Some of the most well-known and trusted brands have been caught up in scandals about whether their products are what they claim to be (is the cod really cod, for example), let alone trusting the attributes like organic/bio, non-GM, or geographical indications. With every new food scandal, it transpires that the companies often do not even know where exactly their food comes from. The authorities tolerate this. They have to be sanctioned for this. —Foodwatch In Hong Kong there have been instances of food contamination, counterfeit foods, unapproved 56 www.playtimes.com.hk ingredients and other issues. There was 3,500kg of contaminated pork from mainland China allowed into the market. Once the problem was identified, the product had to be destroyed. A Taiwanese brand of milk tea was removed from stores across the city because it contained an unapproved additive. There are quite a few more examples but it’s important to understand how these happened and what was done about it. It mostly comes down to traceability. Hong Kong does have laws to protect consumers. The basic food law in Hong Kong is laid down in Part V of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132). The main provisions cover general protection for food purchasers, offences in connection with sale of unfit food and adulterated food, composition and labelling of food, food hygiene, seizure and destruction of unfit food. Another food law in Hong Kong, the Food Safety Ordinance (Cap. 612), provides new food safety control measures, including a registration scheme for food importers and food distributors and a requirement for food traders to maintain proper records of the movements of food to enhance food traceability. It also empowers the authorities to make regulations for tightening import control on specific food types and to make orders to prohibit the import and supply of problem food and order the recall of such food. Food suppliers, importers and restaurants in Hong Kong are doing some great work in the interest of providing consumers with the best possible quality. The new restaurant Treehouse is developing technology so customers have the ability to geolocalise where the produce for that week is coming from. In time, for example, customers would be able to see which local farm the spinach is from. In the home delivery domain, South Stream Market—serving consumers for over 20 years in Hong Kong—take many steps to ensure high quality, certified and fully traceable products. Since their products come from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and Europe, it’s vital that they maintain good relationships with importers and that the products are completely traceable. South Stream works directly with farmers, fishermen, producers and artisans so they know exactly where the fish, chicken, meat, vegetables, bakery items and dairy are sourced. At the core of their operations is the idea of traceability. This ensures the supply chain is visible to customers so they know where the food is from, how it’s produced, its impact on the environment and the welfare of the animals at all stages. Additionally, South Stream has introduced a new Artisan Section which is all about bringing producers and customers closer together and making customers more aware of how much hard work and knowledge goes into putting some truly special products on their plates. As the International Food Information Council Foundation explains, “Consumers want to know how their food is produced, where it came from and the quality of the ingredients. They also have broader questions about environmental sustainability, and many seek brands that align with their broader social values.”