With the great support of the General Administration of Customs of People's Republic of China, the first batch of “fresh chickens”, which is offered for sale on the day of slaughter, will be supplied to Macao on 2 February. In order for “fresh chickens” to arrive in the Macao market within one and a half hours after leaving the factories, Guangdong Province and Macao coordinate for rapid border-crossing and priority inspection and quarantine procedures. To make it easier for consumers to identify the products, the “fresh chickens” supplied to Macao must have rings showing the date of slaughter. Product information, the date and time of slaughter, etc. must also be printed on the outer packaging. The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has already developed the “Hygienic Guidelines on Retail Sale of Fresh Chickens”, in addition to holding briefings with the sector to explain the food hygiene requirements for all stages of transport, storage, display and sale of “fresh chickens”.

“Green channel” mechanism of fresh and live agricultural products deepened to support fresh chickens in meeting market demands

To ensure the quality, safety and stability of the supply sources of fresh and live food products to Macao, the General Administration of Customs of People's Republic of China has been providing great support in the continuous deepening of the “green channel” mechanism of fresh and live agricultural products. Poultry products to be supplied to Macao must come from poultry farms and slaughter processing enterprises subject to strict supervision by the customs authorities in Mainland China, and each batch must be accompanied by a health inspection certificate in order to guarantee food safety. In order for “fresh chickens” to arrive in the Macao market as quickly as possible after leaving the factories and fit the habit of the people in Macao of eating fresh chickens, Guangdong Province and Macao coordinate for the relevant rapid border-crossing and priority inspection and quarantine procedures, in order to ensure the quality and hygiene of fresh chickens by limiting the duration from departure from factories to arrival at Macao port and completion of inspection to less than one and a half hours.

“Fresh chickens” offered for sale on the day of slaughter

“Fresh chickens” are fresh and live products offered for sale on the day of slaughter. They are immediately transported in cold chain transport vehicles from the factories to the market after being slaughtered in Mainland China. With the entire distribution process being carried out in cold chain, food safety and hygiene are guaranteed. To make it easier for consumers in Macao to identify the products, “fresh chickens” must have rings printed with the date of slaughter, and be stored and displayed in refrigerated cabinets. Product information, the date and time of production, etc. must also be printed on the outer packaging. In retail sales, the original packaging of fresh chickens must be maintained and the chickens must be sold in accordance with food safety and hygiene requirements, in order to safeguard food safety for consumers. IAM reminds consumers to patronise the businesses with the registration certificate for retail establishments of fresh and live food or the stalls in the markets, check the integrity of the packaging, and pay attention to the date and time of production before purchase.

IAM has developed the “Hygienic Guidelines on Retail Sale of Fresh Chickens”, which determine the food hygiene requirements and points to note in relation to the transport, storage, display and sale of fresh chickens, in addition to holding briefings for the sector and call for prior assessments. IAM continues to carry out episodic health inspections as well as testing of random samples of retail establishments of fresh and live food, with the aim of ensuring the food safety of such food products in Macao.

Taking into account public health and the need to prevent avian influenza, Macao has implemented the “human-poultry segregation” measure since 2017, replacing the supply of live poultry with refrigerated poultry. IAM actively strengthens cooperation with relevant departments in Mainland China and pays attention to the diversified import of fresh and live food products to Macao, encouraging the local sector to actively explore sources of supply, in order to provide consumers with fresh and live food and agricultural food products that are safe and stable.