Food containing mineral oil is generally banned, with limited exemptions, and breaches can lead to a fine and imprisonment.
Mineral Oil in Food Regulations(Cap. 132, section 55) [30 November 1962](Format changes—E.R. 4 of 2019) 1. Citation These regulations may be cited as the Mineral Oil in Food Regulations. 2. Interpretation In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—mineral oil (礦物油) means any hydro-carbon product, whether liquid, semi-liquid or solid, derived from any substance of mineral origin and includes liquid paraffins (otherwise known as kerosene), white oils, petroleum jellies and hard paraffins. 3. Prohibition of sale of food containing mineral oil Except as provided in regulation 4—(a) no person shall use or permit to be used any mineral oil in the composition or preparation of any article of food intended for sale for human consumption; (b) no person shall sell or offer, expose, possess or manufacture for sale for human consumption any article of food containing any mineral oil. 4. Exemption from prohibition (1) Regulation 3 shall not apply where—(a) (i) the amount of mineral oil contained in any article of food does not exceed 0.2 parts by weight of mineral oil per 100 parts by weight of the article of food; and (ii) the presence of mineral oil in any article of food is due not to its inclusion as an ingredient in the article of food but to its use as a lubricant or greasing agent on some surface with which the article of food has necessarily to come into contact in the course of its preparation; or (b) in the case of any chewing gum product—(i) the amount of any hydrocarbon wax added to the product does not exceed the amount reasonably required to accomplish its intended physical, nutritional or other technical effect in the product; (ii) the quantity of any hydrocarbon wax that has or may have become a component of the product as a result of its use in the manufacturing, processing, or packaging of the product, and that is not intended to accomplish any physical or other technical effect in the product itself, has been reduced to the extent reasonably possible; and (iii) any hydrocarbon wax contained in the product is of appropriate food grade and was prepared and handled as a food ingredient. (2) In this regulation, chewing gum product (香口膠產品) means chewing gum and other products of a like nature and use. (L.N. 671 of 1994) 5. Offence and penalty Any person who contravenes the provisions of regulation 3 shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine at level 5 and to imprisonment for 6 months. (L.N. 333 of 1987; L.N. 177 of 1996) 6. Name in which proceedings for offences may be brought Without prejudice to the provisions of any other enactment relating to the prosecution of criminal offences and without prejudice to the powers of the Secretary for Justice in relation to the prosecution of such offences, prosecutions for an offence under any of the provisions of these regulations may be brought in the name of the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene.(L.N. 67 of 1985; 10 of 1986 s. 32; L.N. 362 of 1997; 78 of 1999 s. 7)