G/SPS/N/HKG/39  
 
16 April 2014  
(14-2379) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: HONG KONG, CHINA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Government of 
the Hong Kong Special Administrative Reg ion 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Food for human consumption  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: Microbiological Guidelines for Food   Language(s): 
English and Chinese   Number of pages: 38 
6. Description of content: Microbiological Guidelines for Food are criteria indicating the 
microbiological condition of the food items when there are no establis hed microbiological 
standards. They also supplement any existing legislative microbiological standards so as 
to reflect the  safety and  hygienic quality of the food. The purpose of this set of 
Guidelines is to provide assistance to health officers in the interpretation of 
microbiological analyses of foods and give recommendations on the appropriate 
follow -up action to monitor a nd control food safety.  
The microbiological criteria for (i) ready -to-eat food in general - Aerobic colony count 
(ACC) and Hygiene indicator organisms, (ii) ready -to-eat food in general - specific 
foodborne pathogens, and (iii) specific food items are list ed in Chapter I to III of the 
Guidelines respectively.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [ ]  animal health, [ ]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.   title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text)  
Codex Code of Hygienic Practice for Collecting, Processing and Marketing of Natural 
Mineral Waters (CAC/RCP 33 -1985, revised 2011)  
Code of Hygienic Practice for Powdered Formulae for Infants and Young Children 
(CAC/RCP 66 -2008, revised 2009)  
Code of Hygienic Practice for Spices and Dried Aromatic Plants (CAC/RCP 42 -1995)  
Standard for Live  and Raw Bivalve Molluscs (CODEX STAN 292 -2008, amendment 2013)  
Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (CAC/RCP 52 -2003, amendment 2013)  G/SPS/N /HKG/39  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number)    
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[X] Yes   [ ] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
internation al standard: The Guidelines make reference to the latest microbiological 
criteria stipulated by Codex and other national authorities, while taking local situation 
into account.  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
See Item 5  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 26 June 2014. (tentative)  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 26 June 2014. (tentative)  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicab le 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 15 June 2014  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [ ]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Centre for Food Safety  
(Attn: Risk Assessment Section)  
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department  
43/F, Queensway Government Offices  
66 Queensway, Hong Kong  
Tel: +(8 52) 2867 5699  
Fax: +(852) 2893 3547  
E-mail: enquiries@fehd.gov.hk  
13. Texts available from: [ ]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
See Item 12  
 
The notified te xt could also be downloaded from the following websites:  
In English  
http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/food_leg/food_leg_Draft_Microbiological_Guideli nes_for_
Food.html  
In Chinese  
http://www.cfs.gov.hk/tc_chi/food_leg/food_leg_Draft_Microbiological_Guidelines_for_F
ood.html