A new Food Safety, Inspection & Quarantine Department comprising a Center for Food Safety may be formed, Hong Kong Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food York Chow said on Thursday.

According to a government press release on Thursday, the proposal will reorganize the Food & Environmental Hygiene and Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Departments into the Food Safety, Inspection Quarantine and Agriculture, Environmental Hygiene Conservation Departments.

All functions concerning food safety, veterinary public health, inspection, quarantine and regulation over animals and plants, vegetables, freshwater fish, seafood and food products, and control over local livestock, poultry and agriculture farms, will be transferred to the new departments.

"We will also set up a Center for Food Safety within the new department and create a post of controller to head the center," Chow said.

The controller will have professional knowledge and experience in public health and food safety, and a good rapport with regulatory authorities in the mainland and overseas.

The government will recruit additional expertise, particularly in veterinary surgery, food safety and food scientists.

"Also, we need to expand our surveillance mechanism, not just to local food, but also to other overseas suppliers, including the mainland," Chow added.

(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2005)