The Guangdong Food Safety Committee's report on the safety and quality of food in the province does not cover food supplying Hong Kong, the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau says.

The State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine and its entry-exit inspection & quarantine bureaux are responsible for monitoring food supplying Hong Kong. The authorities will ensure the safety of the food before exporting to the city.

The bureau and the Guangdong Food & Drug Administration established a mechanism last year through which the two places notify each other and exchange information on significant food safety policies, food survey results and major food safety incidents. The bureau will continue bolster co-operation and exchanges with Guangdong authorities to ensure food safety.

In Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety has recently tested samples of festive food for the Lunar New Year, including puddings, glutinous rice balls, melon seeds, preserved meat, dried seafood and vegetarian foods.

Only a turnip pudding sample and a jinzhen - literally "golden needle", a type of dried plant - sample failed to meet compliance among the 119 food samples tested. The remaining samples were all satisfactory.