Hong Kong Food Hygiene Manager flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Danger zone temperature range

The temperature band between 4°C and 60°C in which bacteria multiply most rapidly. High-risk food should be kept below 4°C or above 60°C.

Two-hour four-hour rule

Ready-to-eat high-risk food held between 4°C and 60°C for under 2 hours may be refrigerated or used; 2-4 hours may be used but not stored; over 4 hours must be discarded.

Core reheating temperature

Reheated food must reach 75°C at the centre for at least 30 seconds. Reheat only once, and never use a bain-marie to reheat food.

Cooling time limits

Cooked food must cool from 60°C to 21°C within 2 hours, then from 21°C to 5°C within a further 4 hours, total no more than 6 hours.

Water activity threshold

A water activity of 0.85 or below inhibits bacterial growth. This is why dried, salted, and sugared foods are shelf-stable without refrigeration.

HACCP seven principles

Hazard analysis; identify critical control points; set critical limits; monitor CCPs; establish corrective actions; verify the system; establish record-keeping. These principles apply in that sequence.

Clostridium botulinum growth condition

Clostridium botulinum is anaerobic, meaning it grows in the absence of oxygen. This is why vacuum-packed and canned low-acid foods require strict processing controls.

Food handler exclusion period

A food handler with diarrhoea or vomiting must be excluded from food work and may return 48 hours after symptoms stop. Certain infectious diseases must be reported to health authorities.

Cross-contamination colour coding

Use separate colour-coded chopping boards and utensils for raw and ready-to-eat food. In refrigerators, store raw food below cooked and ready-to-eat food.

Handwashing minimum duration

Wash hands with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds, covering backs of hands, between fingers, and under nails. Alcohol rub does not replace washing soiled hands.

Licence-issuing authority

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) issues food business licences in Hong Kong under the Food Business Regulation, Cap. 132X.

Food Business Regulation

Cap. 132X. It requires a licence for food premises, sets hygiene requirements, and makes operating without a licence or selling unfit food an offence.

Restaurant licence prerequisites

Before a restaurant licence is granted, premises must satisfy building, fire safety, and drainage requirements, and the layout must be approved by FEHD.

Fresh provision shop licence

Required for retail sale of fresh meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish. It is distinct from a restaurant licence and from a cold store licence.

Cold store licence

Required for premises used to store chilled or frozen food. It covers storage operations rather than preparation or retail sale of fresh provisions.

Display of licence

The food business licence must be displayed conspicuously at the premises and produced on demand to an authorised officer during inspection.

Licence variation notification

The licensee must notify FEHD of changes to premises layout, the type of food handled, or the person in charge, and obtain approval where required.

Temporary food stall licence

Required for short-term or event-based food trading. It is time-limited and subject to conditions on location, hygiene facilities, and food types permitted.

Clean versus disinfect

Cleaning removes visible soil such as grease and food residue. Disinfection reduces microorganisms to a safe level. Sanitising combines both steps on food contact surfaces.

Two-stage cleaning method

First clean with detergent to remove soil, then apply a food-safe disinfectant at the manufacturer's dilution and contact time. Rinse where the label requires it.

Pest control hierarchy

Proof the premises first, then remove food and water sources, then monitor with traps and bait stations, then treat. Chemical treatment is the last resort, not the first.

Pest sighting record content

Records should state the date, location, type of pest evidence found, and the action taken. Evidence includes droppings, gnaw marks, webbing, and live or dead insects.

Refuse storage requirements

Refuse must be kept in covered, pest-proof bins, removed frequently, and the storage area cleaned and drained. Refuse must not accumulate in food preparation areas.

Toilet location rule

Toilets must not open directly into a food room. A lobby or ventilated passage must separate them from areas where food is prepared or stored.

Handwash basin provision

A handwash basin with soap, warm running water, and disposable towels must be provided and kept stocked. It must be used only for handwashing.

Cleaning schedule content

A cleaning schedule states what is cleaned, by whom, how often, with which chemical and dilution, and who verifies the work. Records are retained for inspection.

Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance

Cap. 132. The principal statute empowering FEHD to regulate food premises, food safety, public cleansing, and related municipal services in Hong Kong.

Food Safety Ordinance

Cap. 612. It requires food traders to keep transaction records, supports food tracing and recall, and empowers the Director to order recalls of problem food.

Composition and labelling regulations

Cap. 132W. These regulations set composition and labelling requirements for food, including allergen declaration and nutrition labelling rules.

Harmful substances regulations

Cap. 132AF. These prescribe maximum permitted limits for specified harmful substances in food, such as certain pesticides, mycotoxins, and heavy metals.

Smoking Public Health Ordinance

Cap. 371. It prohibits smoking in indoor public places, including restaurants and licensed food premises, and sets out designated no-smoking areas and penalties.

Authorised officer powers

Authorised officers may enter and inspect premises, take samples, seize food, and order cleansing or closure where a public health risk exists under Cap. 132.