The FEHD is tasked with ensuring that food available for human consumption is safe and properly labelled. It aims to protect public health through the development and implementation of effective food control measures.

Furthermore, the Government set up on May 2, 2006 a Centre for Food Safety (CFS) within the FEHD to further improve its monitoring of food. The department's Food Surveillance and Control Division and the Risk Assessment and Communication Division was brought under the CFS following the appointment of a controller for the centre.

Under the food surveillance programme, 64 915 samples of foodstuff were taken at import, wholesale and retail points in 2006 for chemical, microbiological and radiological testing to ensure the products were safe for human consumption. In addition, 55 346 food labels were checked for compliance with legal requirements.

A total of 28 067 vehicles carrying vegetables, and 47 682 vehicles carrying live food animals including pigs, cattle, goats and poultry were inspected at the Food Control Office and Animal Inspection Station at Man Kam To during the year. A total of 10 732 599 live food animals were examined and 90 004 blood and 71 104 urine, faecal and tissue samples were taken for testing for disease and veterinary drug residues.

The Government has conducted a study of the overall costs and benefits of introducing a nutrition information labelling scheme in Hong Kong, and will propose it to the Legislative Council in 2007.