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The Government has proposed to amend the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) to prohibit the use of malachite green in food to ensure food safety and protect public health.

The legislative amendment was proposed following malachite green being found in 11 out of 14 samples available so far among the 27 collected samples of live eels and eel products for sale in local markets and food outlets following the recall of eel products destined for export by the Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau on the Mainland on Tuesday (August 16).

A spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (August 19) that the Government proposed to add malachite green as a item in the First Schedule of the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations to prohibit its presence in all food sold in Hong Kong.

The amendment would also have the effect of controlling live fish as food with regard to the use of malachite green, the spokesman added.

The Harmful Substances in Food Regulations govern the import and sale of food containing harmful substances. The First Schedule of the Regulations stipulates the maximum amount of harmful substances allowed in food.

Any person who imports, consigns, delivers, manufactures or sells for human consumption any food containing substances exceeding the concentration level stipulated in the Regulations commits an offence.

The maximum penalty for the offence will be a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.

Malachite green is a type of industrial dye and has been used for treating infection in fish. Major agricultural economies such as the Mainland, the European Union and the United States prohibit the use of the chemical in food fish.

In addition, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will continue to collect samples of eel and eel products for testing. The FEHD will exercise its statutory power under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to seize and destroy the food if it is unfit for human consumption.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and FEHD will issue advisory letters immediately to inform the fish trade and food business respectively of the present position. Traders will be reminded that their products should not contain malachite green and must be fit for human consumption. They will also be informed that the AFCD will step up the surveillance of fresh water fish in wholesale markets and the FEHD will step up the surveillance of food fish and their products in food business premises, as well as being told of the Government's plan to introduce the legislative amendment.

The spokesman said: "As food safety is a livelihood issue of great concern to the community, the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau has decided to undertake a comprehensive review including enhancing the notification system with the Mainland, surveillance and enforcement support services, inspection and food sampling/laboratory testing work.

"We are actively considering the establishment of a Food Safety Centre with focal control on food-related matters."

Ends/Friday, August 19, 2005

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