Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr James Fong,

The Ministry of Health has been faced with challenges in regulating the quality of food and items being sold in the informal sector.

These involve canteens, minimarts etc.

The Ministry has found that food being sold out of some shops in the informal sector does not meet their hygiene standards.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr James Fong, says discussions are underway to mitigate the risks presented by the non-compliant supermarkets and the informal sector.

“I don’t think it is good to say that its only supermarkets. I think this is the problem we are facing now in both the formal and informal sector, the selling of food that does not meet the standards of hygiene that we expect of them.”

Dr Fong says it’s easy for the Health inspectors to regulate the quality of food sold in supermarkets, however, the challenge lies with the informal sector.

“When there is a high situation of deterioration of food our health inspectors will be able to go in and mitigate that problem. In the informal sector on the other hand it is a difficult one.”

The Ministry is working with the Consumer Council to address some of the issues that affect the health of consumers.

Meanwhile, the Consumer Council has also made submissions to the Ministry to address some of the similar recurring issues with supermarkets.