The Anti-rodent Campaign 2004 is carried out to arouse public awareness and encourage community participation in improving environmental hygiene and rodent control, and safeguarding public health.

Media visit to the Food Research Laboratory.

The Lunar New Year Fair, which runs for seven days in 12 districts, is launched by the Department.

The 18-day Che Kung Festival Fair in Sha Tin District begins.

The import of live birds and poultry meat from the Mainland is suspended because of avian influenza.

A series of workshops and seminars on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)-based Food Safety Plan is arranged from February to June for the bakery industry.

The Director General of Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Mr LIU Shengli, leads a delegation to visit the Food Research Laboratory.

The first phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign 2004 is launched to arouse public awareness and encourage community participation in implementing mosquito control and prevention measures, and to improve co-operation among government departments.

The results of a collaborative survey on 3-monochloropropan-1, 2-diol (3-MCPD) in condiments and sauces are announced by FEHD and the Consumer Council.

Finance Committee approves a financial assistance package for relevant poultry operators to help alleviate their financial difficulties following the suspension of live poultry imports from the Mainland.

Disbursement of ex-gratia payments to eligible poultry retailers under the financial assistance package is arranged by the Department from 16 April to 30 June. A three-month rental waiver effective from 11 March is also granted to live poultry retail stalls operating in FEHD markets.

A Hong Kong-wide operation is launched to strengthen mosquito prevention and control at village houses and problem spots to sustain the anti-mosquito efforts.

The importation of live chickens from the Mainland resumes.

A departmental seminar on avian flu is addressed by Professor J Malik Peiris from the Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, and attended by 76 participants, including health inspectors and officers of other grades.

The second phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign is launched to highlight the importance of eliminating breeding places during the rainy season.

Disease vector investigation is conducted on the first local human Japanese Encephalitis (JE) case reported in the year, involving a resident at Kau Wah Keng San Tsuen. Control of mosquitoes is strengthened, particularly in areas around pig farms and where migratory birds gather.

A seminar on pest control with specialist speakers from overseas is held at the Hong Kong International Trade and Exhibition Centre for pest control personnel.

The Food Research Laboratory is granted the Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS) accreditation by the Hong Kong Accreditation Services in the "Food" test category, covering tests on nutrients.

Results of the "Study on Dietary Exposure to Mercury of Secondary School Students (A Follow-up Report)"are presented to the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene.

A new multi-media publicity drive is launched to encourage people to maintain their efforts in keeping Hong Kong clean and to curb littering from motor vehicles. The campaign features television and radio announcements, posters, banners, advertisements and billboards.

A series of workshops and seminars on the HACCP-based Food Safety Plan is arranged in July for food premises with fish tanks.

A representative of the Veterinary Public Health Section (VPHS) gives a presentation at the World Meat Hygiene and Inspection Congress 2004 held in Cambridge, England.

The Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulation 2004 is enacted updating labelling requirements to include certain additives in milk products in line with international practice.

A "Food Safety Roadshow" at Olympian City Shopping Arcade kicks off "Food Safety Day 2004". Other packaged educational programmes include a series of television films, colouring and poster design competitions, and food hygiene seminars for food business personnel, caterers, teachers, overseas domestic helpers and the public.

The enhancement phase of the Anti-rodent Campaign is launched to further promote and strengthen the adoption of rodent prevention and control measures in cargo working areas and warehouses.

Old tenement buildings and other problem areas are targeted in a follow up to the second phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign and to address high ovitrap indices recorded in the rainy season.

The "Study on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Barbecued Meat" is reported to the LegCo Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene.

The Department launches an incentive scheme for live poultry retailers to voluntarily surrender their fresh provision shop (FPS) licences, or their endorsement to sell live poultry on FPS licences, or to terminate their FEHD market poultry stall tenancies.

The Information Booklet on Public Markets and Cooked Food Markets is published to provide handy information to the public on FEHD markets and cooked food centres.

The half-yearly meeting on food safety with Guangdong, Shenzhen and Zhuhai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureaux is held in Shenzhen.

The first issue of the Market Newsletter is published to disseminate market and other relevant information.

The third phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign is launched to maintain public awareness of the risk of dengue fever and to sustain the community effort in controlling the dengue fever vector.

Hong Kong Accreditation Services makes a re-assessment visit to the Man Kam To Food Laboratory. The laboratory succeeds in re-affirming its accreditation status and extending its accreditation scope to cover the testing of vegetables and milk for more pesticide residues and veterinary drug residues respectively, under the HOKLAS.

The new, fully air-conditioned Tai Po Hui Market opens, heralding a new era for market goers and stall operators with its business-friendly and modern facilities.

The Department launches a series of roving exhibitions on Genetically Modified (GM) Food in various housing estate shopping centres.

The fourth issue of the GM Food Newsletter is published for distribution to the public.

Four new cremators are commissioned at the Fu Shan Crematorium.

A series of train-the-trainer workshops on GM Food for youth centre leaders is launched by the Department from October 2004 to February 2005.

A year-long Hong Kong-wide survey begins on vectors of JE to provide further information for strategic control of the disease carriers.

A specialist team visits Canada to inspect slaughtering plants in relation to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow disease) issues.

A series of workshops and seminars on the HACCP-based Food Safety Plan is arranged from October 2004 to March 2005 for providers of lunch boxes and school management.

Improved mosquito control measures at village houses, passenger and cargo container terminals and old tenement buildings are the focus of attention during follow up activities to the third phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign 2004. They are designed to reduce the risk of local dengue fever and JE.

Investigations are conducted into the fifth local human JE case reported in the year, which involved a resident at Ap Lei Chau. Mosquito control is strengthened in the area.

The suspension of beef imports from Canada is partially lifted.

The Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulation 2004 is enacted to allow the labelling of more ingredients in cream in line with international practice.

The Government's rental freeze for all public markets is extended to the end of September 2005.

The FEHD and the Consumer Council announce the results of a collaborative survey on sweeteners in confectionery products.

A self-regulatory code of practice is issued to food premises selling live marine seafood in an effort to prevent and control ciguatera fish poisoning. The situation will be reviewed in six months.

Common fish diseases, a food safety control system and food safety related to the food of animal origin are the subjects of a Veterinary Public Health Workshop. Scientists and government officials from the Mainland, France, the Netherlands and the US are invited as speakers.

The Department launches the Anti-rodent Campaign 2005 urging managers of shopping centres to take special precautionary measures against rodents.

Hong Kong is invited to share its experience in the control of avian flu during the first meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (ASEAN HPAI) Task Force in Singapore.

The second issue of the Market Newsletter is published for distribution to market tenants and the public.

A joint office with the Buildings Department is set up on a trial basis in Sham Shui Po to deal with water seepage complaints. The pilot scheme, recommended by Team Clean, will be reviewed after six months.