IAM organises exchange meeting for souvenirs and specialty food sector to support the city’s development as a city of gastronomy.
Food souvenirs are one of the important business cards of Macao for foreign visitors to know the city as a “City of Gastronomy”. In order to ensure food safety and product quality, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) organised the “Exchange Meeting on Food Safety for Macao Souvenirs and Specialty Food Sector” on 22 September, inviting representatives from relevant businesses, industry associations, and chambers of commerce of various districts, etc. During the meeting, food safety personnel highlighted the status of food souvenirs monitoring in Macao, and explained the application process of the “Agreement on Cooperation in Safety Control of Food Products Manufactured in Macao for Exportation to Mainland China”, in order to help the sector better safeguard food safety at all stages, open up the Mainland market, and contribute to Macao’s development as a “Creative City of Gastronomy”. Moreover, in response to the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, IAM has strengthened publicity and inspections at food establishments, takeaway shops and food retail establishments to ensure food safety and hygiene during the Golden Week.
Testing results of random samples from the market are satisfactory as a whole
As food safety is the cornerstone of Macao’s development as a “Creative City of Gastronomy”, IAM also conducts targeted surveillances based on product characteristics and risk factors, in addition to collecting random samples of various types of food from the market for testing on a regular basis. This year, IAM launched the “Food Safety Guidelines on Reducing Aflatoxin Contamination in Peanuts” (GL 002 DSA 2023) to guide the sector in procurement, storage, selection and other aspects for improving food safety and quality, with the aim of reducing food contamination by aflatoxin and ensuring that the products comply with the provisions of the “Food Safety Law” and the “Maximum Limits of Mycotoxins in Food” of Macao.
Helping Macao’s food sector expand into the Mainland market
During the exchange meeting, representatives from IAM also explained to the local food sector the application process, market access conditions and product requirements for imported food from Macao into the Mainland under the framework of the “Agreement on Cooperation in Safety Control of Food Products Manufactured in Macao for Exportation to Mainland China”, to assist the sector in further improving food safety and quality levels so as to facilitate the entry of Macao-made food products into the Mainland market.
Food safety and hygiene inspections stepped up before the National Day holiday
In view of the approaching National Day holiday, IAM will step up inspections and publicity at food production and operation establishments in tourist areas, focusing on inspecting and monitoring their hygiene conditions, and assisting the sector in optimising internal food safety management.
Representatives of industry associations attending the exchange meeting included: Ou Mun Peng Sek Sao Son Ip Seong Wui (“Macao Commerce Association of Souvenirs and Specialty Food Sector”), The Industry and Commerce Association of Macau, The Industry and Commerce Federation of Macau Central and Southern District, The Industry and Commerce Association of Macau Northern District, The Industry and Commerce Federation of Islands of Macao, and The Industry and Commerce Association of Macau ZAPE. IAM will continue to communicate with the food sector to enhance their understanding of food safety supervision and Macao’s food safety laws and regulations and assist the sector in food safety management for them to welcome the customers with high-quality and safe products, so as to promote Macao’s development as a “Creative City of Gastronomy”.
