As the silver economy gains momentum, many renowned restaurants and food enterprises are stepping into the “care food” market, aiming to offer elderly-friendly dining with improved safety, nutrition, and variety. The Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong (CMA) and Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) co-led the development of the “Care Food GBA Standard”, in collaboration with Shenzhen Association of Testers and Analysts and over 40 cross-sector partners.
On September 25, the Greater Bay Area Standardization Research Center officially included the “General Requirements of Dysphagia Diet for Elderly (Care Food)” in the GBA Standard list. As the first GBA standard initiated by Hong Kong’s industry for the silver economy, it provides a technical framework for unified food testing, enhanced quality, safety assurance, and innovation. With more restaurants and manufacturers investing in care food, this standard comes at the right time to guide the industry towards professional, standardized, and scalable development.
Dr. Wingco Lo, President of CMA, stated: “The Care Food GBA Standard is not only a collective achievement of Hong Kong’s business, social, and testing sectors but also a key step in upgrading the elderly-friendly food industry. Leveraging CMA Testing’s expertise, we will support the industry in complying with the latest international benchmarks in processing, freezing, sterilization, and nutritional preservation. This will empower manufacturers and restaurants to create higher-quality elderly care foods and capture new opportunities in the silver economy.”
CMA Testing now offers comprehensive soft food testing services, providing technical support across the supply chain—from R&D to quality assurance. This enhances product quality, accelerates industry compliance with the new standard, and strengthens competitiveness for food and catering brands entering the silver dining market.
CMA Testing, HKCSS, and leading industries are working together to support the next milestone in innovation and standardization for the elderly-friendly food sector, paving the way for a thriving silver economy in the Greater Bay Area.
