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HK Expands Scope of Pesticide Residue Regulation

HKSAR continues to increase the stringency of administrative requirements and enforcement related to pesticide residues in food, exemplified in the dynamic expansion of its pesticide residue regulation. Violators face penalties up to HK$50,000 and imprisonment of up to 6 months.

In Aug. 2018, HK Center for Food Safety & Food and Environmental Hygiene Department revised Guidelines on Food Classification for the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap. 132CM), expanding the scope to mungbean sprouts, soya bean sprouts and lotus tuber. The revision will take effect on 1st Nov. 2018. Major Revisions to the Guidelines in 2018 are:

Revision Item 1

Amendments in Paragraph 1.3 (Amendments are underlined and bold)

  • The Guidelines is prepared by primarily making reference to the Codex Classification of Foods and Animal Feeds (CAC/MISC 4) (Codex Classification) published in 1993. The Guidelines also makes reference to Codex’s revisions on classification of fruits in 2012, and classification of mungbean sprouts, soya bean sprouts and lotus tuber in 2017.

Additional footnote

  • 3 Codex classified mungbean sprouts, soya bean sprouts and lotus tuber in the Codex Classification of Foods and Animal Feeds in 2017. You may refer to the Report of the 49th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (REP17/PR) for details.

Revision item 2

Mung bean sprouts and soya bean sprouts are added to the food group “Leafy vegetables (including Brassica leafy vegetables)”

Code no.

Common name

Scientific name

VL 0536

Mungbean sprouts

Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek var. radiata

VL 1265

Soya bean sprouts

Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Revision item 3

Lotus tuber is added to the food group “Root and tuber vegetables”

Code no.

Common name

Scientific name

VR 3002

Lotus tuber

Nelumbo nucifera Geartn.


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