The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department has proposed measures to simplify the food business licensing regime.

It plans to issue a composite licence to regulate the sale of ready-to-eat food and reduce the number of licences required for general restaurants.

The department today told lawmakers it is open to all other suggestions provided that standards on food, fire and building safety are not compromised.

Composite licence

The department proposes to introduce a new type of composite food licence to regulate the sale of ready-to-eat food, including siu mei and lo mei, cooked food, bakery products, sushi and sashimi, cut fruit, frozen confections, milk, and Chinese herbal tea.

Endorsement for sale of the food will be provided in one single licence, the department said, adding an amendment to the Food Business Regulation is necessary to implement the proposal.

At present, a restaurant which sells bakery products in a separate area for consumption off the premises is required to obtain an additional bakery licence.

The department plans to replace the issuance of a separate licence in such circumstances with a relevant endorsement on the restaurant licence instead, provided that sale of the bakery products is confined to a retail basis and that a sufficient food preparation area is provided.

License relaxation

The department also proposes to relax certain requirements which do not pose food hygiene problems.

Under the existing licensing regime, the minimum height of a food counter is one metre for separating the food room area from the remaining part of the food premises. The department proposes to lower the requirement to 75 centimetres.

At present, a sink installed in any food premises is required to be equipped with a drip board in order to allow wet utensils to drain away water after washing.