Donald Tsang, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, was quoted as saying that to be economically viable region, RFID technology should be deployed across the entire supply chain, from the source where the goods and products are manufactured, to storage, picking and packaging, logistics, intranational and international transportation and shipment, and ultimately to the end user.
With RFID tagged pallets and carton boxes, the goods in each container can be registered through the RFID reading devices, Tsang explained. With the container itself being tagged with RFID devices, goods in transit between suppliers and overseas destinations could be monitored at all times, he said.
The Center of Food Safety of Hong Kong SAR recently conducted a spot check on 350 pieces of fresh fruit sold at supermarkets, street stalls and fruit shop and reported that all of them are fine, he said.. With RFID, the authorities can now better track from where certain produce originates, which will help them eliminate goods in the event of a health crisis, Tsang indicated.
In addition to RFID, Tsang said other measures to ensure food safety in the region would include regulating importers' acquisition of poultry and egg products through legislation; requiring registration of the importers of fresh fish and fish-related products; and revising relevant laws to give more authority to the food and health departments to supervise the food market.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.