Relaxing the Restrictions on Food Items Sold by Light Refreshment Restaurants
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) considers the types of cuisine and cooking methods becoming more diversified over the years, on the premise that food safety and environmental hygiene are not compromised, with effect from 1 March 2023, will relax the restrictions on food items sold by LRRs (only choose to sell food from one of the six specified food groups). Restrictions will be imposed on the cooking method instead.
Under the new regulatory regime, an LRR can basically sell any food item. As LRRs are generally small in scale and use simple cooking equipment, they are only allowed to adopt simple cooking methods [(e.g. boiling, stewing, steaming, braising and simple frying (excluding deep frying and stir frying)] that do not generate a large amount of greasy fumes will be permitted during food preparation. No cooking or food re-heating activities (e.g. hotpot, Teppanyaki or Korean style BBQs) are allowed in the seating area, so as to safeguard environmental hygiene and safety of patrons.
The above-mentioned initiatives will apply to all LRR licence applied after 1 March 2023. Current LRR licensees / applicants may also choose to adhere to their original mode of operation, i.e. selling food items of a specified group or they may apply to the FEHD for amendment to the specified groups of food items on their existing licences.
