A mandatory food-labelling plan to include more nutritional information could force organic and ethnic foods off the shelves, industry sources fear.
The scheme would call for a 'one plus six' nutrients system - with one referring to energy levels in the food and six including details such as protein, carbohydrate and fats. The government believes the system could save billions in medical spending and other economic costs.
Earlier proposals for a voluntary phase have been scrapped and there would be a two-year grace period for compliance, sources close to the government said.
The proposal will be presented in a series of technical committee meetings with stakeholders beginning tomorrow.
The Food and Health Bureau said it was formulating a 'feasible scheme which will enable consumers to make an informed choice and ensure a stable food supply'.
A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said: 'We consider that our original proposal of 'one plus nine nutrients' can be further modified.
'We are considering making revisions to the scheme and will take into account the views expressed by stakeholders' before submitting the amendment regulation to the Legislative Council early next year.
