The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (October 14) that the first phase of “Operation Skynet”, a two-week special inspection and enforcement operation launched on September 30, targeting food premises such as supermarkets and restaurants, has concluded. The department also announced the immediate launch of its second phase targeting public markets to continue its stringent crackdown on pest and hygiene problems, with a view to ensuring food safety and improving environmental hygiene.
The first phase of “Operation Skynet” covered supermarkets, restaurants and other food premises across all districts. During the operation, FEHD officers focused on reviewing the environmental hygiene and refuse management of these premises to ensure proper waste disposal, checking goods shelves, refrigerators and food storage areas to ensure cleanliness and hygiene, and thoroughly inspecting for signs of pest and rodent activity to identify root causes and potential risks.
During the operation, FEHD officers conducted a total of 1 177 inspections against supermarkets, issued 65 statutory Notices of Elimination of Vermin, 25 Notices of Requirement to Cleanse and Repair Food Premises and two warnings, and initiated 14 prosecutions; conducted a total of 432 inspections against restaurants, issued 35 statutory Notices of Elimination of Vermin, 41 Notices of Requirement to Cleanse and Repair Food Premises and six warnings, and initiated 65 prosecutions; and conducted 321 inspections against other food premises, issued 20 statutory Notices of Elimination of Vermin and 17 Notices of Requirement to Cleanse and Repair Food Premises, and initiated 24 prosecutions. The department will continue to follow up on these findings, and to step up follow-up inspections and take further enforcement action where necessary.
A spokesman for the FEHD said that any premises (including supermarkets) selling pre-made and prepackaged cooked foods, sushi and sashimi must obtain the relevant licence or restricted food permit issued by the FEHD and comply with the applicable licensing conditions. The department has been flexibly deploying resources in light of the actual circumstances, and adopting a risk-based strategy for inspections and enforcement actions to safeguard public health.
The spokesman stressed that maintaining environmental hygiene in the community is everyone’s responsibility. Pest and rodent control as well as food safety rely on the concerted efforts of the Government, the trade and the public. The FEHD will continue to closely monitor the hygiene conditions of various food premises through a multipronged approach, combining risk-based inspections with publicity, education and community collaboration. Should irregularities be found, the department will take immediate enforcement action to diligently perform its gatekeeping role in protecting food safety and safeguarding environmental hygiene for the public.
The second phase of “Operation Skynet”, a special inspection and enforcement operation targeting public markets across all districts, will last for two weeks. The department will step up inspections and enforcement, strictly requiring stall tenants to take proper food hygiene management and rodent control measures. Stringent enforcement action will be taken in accordance with the law if stalls are found in poor hygienic conditions or in case any tenant fails to comply with the requirements. The department will take into account information including public complaints, inspection results, number of rodents caught, rodent signs and actual risks to adjust the intensity of inspections and rodent control efforts in response to the actual circumstances of various public markets.
Meanwhile, the FEHD is conducting an enforcement operation codenamed “Operation Clear Edge” across its cooked food centres and public markets to strictly combat and crack down on illegal smoking through blitz inspections. Since the commencement of the operation from September 28, FEHD officers have issued nearly 50 fixed penalty notices for smoking offences as of October 12. The second phase of “Operation Skynet” and “Operation Clear Edge” will be carried out concurrently to ensure the environmental hygiene of public markets.
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