Acting Secretary for Food & Health Prof Gabriel Leung says the Government will consult stakeholders and the public on the proposed framework to regulate pesticide residues in food, adding it plans to table legislation at the Legislative Council by year's-end.
Prof Leung today told lawmakers the Government will update the proposed list of pesticides and residue limits before tabling the legislation. It will make reference to the latest standards adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the Mainland and other major food-supplying countries. The number of pesticides to be regulated will then be adjusted.
To encourage the use of natural pesticides by the trade, the bureau also proposed to provide for a list of exempted substances in the regulatory framework. An exempted substance must fall under the definition of pesticide laid down by the commission and meet one of the following criteria:
* the use of the pesticides does not result in residues occurring in food;
* the residues are identical to or indistinguishable from natural food components; or,
* the residues are of no toxicological significance or will not pose any public health risk.
“Although a list of exempted substances is not available from the codex, the Centre for Food Safety has taken the initiative in conducting research and made reference to the lists adopted by our major food-supplying countries. On this basis the centre is preparing the proposed list of exempted substances in accordance with the above criteria.”
