Additives, Contaminants and Composition Section
About the Section
The Section mainly provides analytical and advisory services to support the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department for the protection of public health and safety and for support of its statutory functions under various regulations and ordinances. Its work include the examination of additives and contaminants in food samples, composition and labelling of food products, genetically modified organisms (GMO) and food allergens. Analytical reports produced by the Section are admissible in courts of law as evidence of compliance or otherwise with the legislative requirements.
Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction System
Responsibilities
The Section helps to implement the following legislations:
- Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance
- Colouring Matter in Food Regulations
- Dried Milk Regulations
- Sweeteners in Food Regulations
- Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations
- Harmful Substances in Food Regulations
- Mineral Oil in Food Regulations
- Preservatives in Food Regulations
Quality Assurance
About 20% of the tests conducted in the Section are for quality assurance purposes.
This Section also participates on a regular basis in the inter-laboratory proficiency testing programmes organized by Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs of UK, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, etc.
Key Instruments
The following instruments are used routinely by the Section:
- Automatic Gel Permeation Chromatograph
- Gas Chromatograph with various detectors
- Gas Chromatograph with High Resolution Mass Spectrometer
- High Performance Liquid Chromatograph with Ultraviolet/Visible Detector, Scanning Fluorescence Detector, Photodiode Array Detector and Differential Refractometer Detector
- High Performance Liquid Chromatograph with Tandem Mass Spectrometer
- Digital Polarimeter
- Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction System
- DNA Sequencing System
- Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction System
- Automated DNA Extraction and Detection System
- Automated Polymerase Chain Reaction Set-up System
- DNA Hybridisation System
Gas Chromatograph with High Resolution Mass Spectrometer
Targets and Key Indicators
For the targets and key indicators for food, pesticide formulation, seepage and swimming pool water samples, please click here for details.