| Date |
Event |
| 11 January |
The Centre for Food Safety announces literature review findings on safety issues of baby bottles and children's tableware. |
| 14 January |
To meet the increasing demand for scattering cremains at sea, the department enhances free ferry service for sea scattering of ashes by employing a bigger vessel which can accommodate more than 200 passengers. The vessel offers a more stable and comfortable voyage and provides a more spacious venue for holding memorial ceremonies for the deceased. |
| 17 to 23 January |
A total of 14 Lunar New Year Fairs are held in 12 districts. |
| 23 January to 6 February |
Lunar New Year Fairs are held at Che Kung Temple, Sha Tin and Lam Tsuen Fong Ma Po, Tai Po. |
| 1 February |
The Food Safety Ordinance comes into full operation, following a six-month grace period. The Ordinance introduces a food tracing mechanism comprising a registration scheme for food importers and food distributors and a record-keeping requirement relating to movement of food. |
| 8 February to 7 May |
A public consultation on management of fixed-pitch hawker areas is conducted. |
| 20 February |
The Centre for Food Safety releases the second report of The First Hong Kong Total Diet Study: Inorganic Arsenic. |
| 24 February |
The first phase of the Anti-rodent Campaign 2012, launched on 28 December 2011, is completed on 24 February. It targets markets, market buildings, hawker bazaars, typhoon shelters, lanes close to food premises and other rodent problematic spots identified in the territory. |
| 25 February |
The Centre for Food Safety participates in 2012 Nutrition and Health Symposium plus "Food Labelling and Chronic Disease Management" Fun Fair organised by the School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong to promote nutrition labelling. |
| 27 February to 23 March |
The first phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign 2012 is launched to arouse public awareness and encourage community participation in mosquito prevention and control. |
| 12 March |
The department relocates its Disaster Recovery Data Centre and upgrades its IT infrastructure and security standard. |
| 26 March |
The Centre for Food Safety launches an iOS version mobile application, "Food Safety Charter" (FSCharter), to facilitate public searching of food premises signed up to the Food Safety Charter via iPhones. |
| 9 April |
The Centre for Food Safety releases an updated iOS version mobile application "Nutrition Calculator" ("NuCal") with new features. |
| 18 April |
The Centre for Food Safety kicks off a series of publicity activities under the theme of "Get the Temperature Right" to remind the public the importance of keeping food at safe temperature to prevent food poisoning. Such initiatives include production of a TV announcement and organising the Food Safety Day, a series of talks and the "Safety Food．Gourmet Paradise" Photo Competition. |
| 25 April |
The Centre for Food Safety releases the third report of The First Hong Kong Total Diet Study: Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs). |
| 26 April |
The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene makes the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap. 132CM) for gazette on 4 May. |
| 30 April to 6 July |
The second phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign is launched, focusing on the importance of eliminating mosquito breeding places during the rainy season. |
| 11 to 13 May |
The department sets up a booth in the Hong Kong Senior Fair 2012 with a view to directly promoting scattering of cremains in Gardens of Remembrance and at sea, as well as the Internet Memorial Service website to senior citizens. |
| 26 May |
Food Safety Day 2012 with the theme "Get the Temperature Right" is staged at Tai Po Mega Mall. |
| 27 May |
The Centre for Food Safety releases the "Trade Guidelines on Preparation of Legible Food Label". |
| 30 May |
The Departmental Information Technology Plan with recommendations to implement new computer projects to provide new e-services to the public and modernise the department's application systems for the next five years is completed. |
| 28 June |
The Centre for Food Safety releases the fourth report of The First Hong Kong Total Diet Study: Pesticide Residues. |
| 9 July |
The "Live it, Use it" Nutrition Labelling Promotion Award Scheme and Nutrition Labelling Fun Shopping Award Scheme Sharing Session cum Award Presentation Ceremony is held in Tsuen Wan Town Hall. |
| 9 July |
A new Garden of Remembrance (GoR) at Diamond Hill Columbarium opens for public application for scattering of cremated ashes. With an area of 2,360 square metres, it is the department's largest GoR. |
| 30 July to 28 September |
The second phase of the Anti-rodent Campaign is launched to sustain and consolidate the work carried out during the first phase and to enhance rodent control measures in targeted areas. |
| 1 August |
The Centre for Food Safety adopts a more stringent radiological standard for testing the safety of imported bottled/packaged water. |
| 8 August |
A telephone hotline centre is set up to handle public enquiries relating to low iodine level in infant milk formulae. |
| 13 August |
A new e-service is launched to enable the public to search 1,061 service locations of the department and their related business information on the department's homepage with Google Maps. |
| 17 August |
The Centre for Food Safety holds health talks on "Get the Temperature Right" and "Three-step Guide to Use Nutrition Labels" at The Hong Kong Trade Development Council Food Expo 2012. |
| 20 August to 12 October |
The third phase of the Anti-mosquito Campaign is launched to highlight the risk of dengue fever and Japanese Encephalitis and to sustain community effort in controlling the vectors. |
| 29 August |
The Centre for Food Safety announces literature review findings on endocrine disrupting chemicals in food. |
| 1 September |
The time required for processing and approving applications for conducting live broadcast activities at licensed cinemas, which do not involve any structural or layout change to the premises, is further shortened from eight to four working days. |
| 3 September |
A total of 43,710 new niches (including 330 large niches) at Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium and 1,540 new standard niches at Diamond Hill Columbarium open for public allocation in three phases. For the first time, applications can be submitted online. |
| 3 September |
The Secretary for Food and Health announces that a five-year assistance scheme for hawkers operating in fixed-pitch hawker areas will be launched. |
| 3 September |
The Centre for Food Safety launches the "Food Incident Post" on its website to provide information on food incidents that are assessed to have limited local impact and to alert individuals who might be in possession of related food products through e-trade, travel, or other personal reasons. |
| 28 September |
The Centre for Food Safety releases results of a study on sodium content in local foods and issues the Trade Guidelines for Reducing Sodium in Foods. |
| 29 and 30 October |
The Centre for Food Safety hosts the Regional Symposium -"Food Claims: Truth and Myth". |
| 30 October |
The Centre for Food Safety holds a consultation meeting with experts from overseas and the Mainland to examine various regulatory options for claims on formula products and food intended for infants and young children. |
| 31 October |
The Centre for Food Safety holds a workshop on scientific evaluation of nutrition and health claims on foods in the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. |
| 1 November |
The hawker licence sanction mechanism is implemented whereby repeated violations of relevant provisions of the Hawker Regulation will lead to licence suspension and licence cancellation for some serious offences. |
| 7 November |
The Centre for Food Safety releases the report of fatty acid esters of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol(3-MCPD) in food. |
| 8 November |
The department draws 10,742 eligible applicants in a computer ballot for allocation of new niches at Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium and Diamond Hill Columbarium. Successful applicants are invited in batches to select niches according to the balloted priority. |
| 9 November |
The Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen, Zhuhai Health, Animal and Plant Quarantine and Food Safety Control Meeting is held in Hong Kong . |
| 10 November |
The Secretary for Food and Health and the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene officiate at the Wo Hop Shek Community Planting Day Ceremony at Kiu Tau Road Columbarium. |
| 15 November |
In addition to publishing in newspapers, advertisements on applications for liquor licence are also posted on the website of the Liquor Licensing Board to provide the public with an e-channel to obtain relevant information. |
| 20 November |
A two-month public consultation on the legislative proposal relating to formula products and foods intended for infants and young children under the age of 36 months commences. |
| 23 November |
The Centre for Food Safety releases the Trade Guidelines for Reducing Sugars and Fats in Foods. |
| 8 December |
The Centre for Food Safety organises a certificate presentation ceremony for its Consumer Liaison Group providing a platform for group members to discuss on food safety topics. |
| 17 and 18 December |
Experts and specialists from Australia, China, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom share their experience and expertise in the applications of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Electronic Certification on food safety management in the Veterinary Public Health Workshop organised by the Centre for Food Safety. |
| 19 December |
An Android version mobile application NuCal is launched. |
| 27 and 28 December |
The Centre for Food Safety sets up an exhibition booth at the 47th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo to promote nutrition labelling and the Food Safety Ordinance. |
