HONG KONG -- Secretary for Food and Health of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Ko Wing-man said here on Thursday that it is time to tighten regulations covering cooking oil.

Speaking to reporters, Ko said the recent incident involving imports of tainted lard from Taiwanese firm Chang Guann had sparked public concern over the safety of edible oil, adding that the HKSAR government is very concerned about the matter.

The Food and Health Bureau will make it a legal requirement that substandard or recycled cooking oil must not be used as an ingredient for oil manufactured in Hong Kong, he said.

Importers of edible oil to the city will also need to produce certificates issued by the country or place of origin to prove the products are up to standard, while food manufacturers and restaurants will be required to pass on waste cooking oil to a designated recycler, Ko said.

The HKSAR government plans to consult the public on the proposed new laws and will listen to the views of the food industry to minimize the impact the changes will have on their businesses, he added.