The FEHD is tasked to ensure that the food available for human consumption is safe and properly labelled. It also aims to safeguard public health through the testing and control of live food animals.

Under the food surveillance programme, 62 419 samples were taken at import, wholesale and retail levels in 2005 for chemical, microbiological and radiological testing to ensure that food was fit for human consumption. In addition, 48 019 food labels were checked for compliance with legal requirements.

A total of 47 073 vehicles carrying vegetables and other food, including meat, and 48 708 vehicles carrying live food animals (pigs, cattle, goats and poultry) were inspected at the Food Control Office and Animal Inspection Station at Man Kam To during the year. A total of 14 401 498 live food animals were also inspected and 115 880 blood and 80 465 urine, faecal and tissue samples were taken from food animals for testing for diseases and veterinary drug residues.

After malachite green was detected in samples of freshwater fish, eels and eel products in August, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene amended the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations to prohibit the presence of malachite green in food.

The Government completed the regulatory impact assessment study on the overall costs and benefits of introducing a nutrition information labelling scheme in Hong Kong during the year and aims to introduce the legislative amendments to the Legislative Council in 2006. It will introduce the scheme in two phases after considering the local health situation, views collected during the consultation exercise and results of the study.