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Following is a question by the Hon Ma Lik and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (December 20):
Question:
Recently a magazine house collected some samples of seafood and vegetable from supermarkets which were imported from foreign countries, and sent them to a laboratory for chemical tests. The heavy metal concentrations of some of the samples were found to have exceeded the statutory maximum permitted levels. In this regard, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the number of samples taken from foods imported from places other than the Mainland for microbiological or chemical tests, and
(i) its percentage in the total number of samples taken in that year, and
(ii) among these samples, the number of those found to contain harmful substances, in each of the past two years;
(b) of a breakdown of those samples mentioned in item (a) by their places of origin and types; and
(c) whether it has assessed if adequate measures are in place to ensure that foods imported from places other than the Mainland are safe for human consumption, and of its improvement plans?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) and (b) The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) adopts a risk-based approach in sampling different food for testing under the routine Food Surveillance Programme. However, the concerned testing results are not categorised into "from Mainland" or "not from Mainland" according to the source of the food.
Data regarding microbiological and chemical tests conducted under the Food Surveillance Programme in the past two years are shown in the Table.
(c) All food sold in the territory, whether locally produced, produced in the Mainland or imported from other places, are regulated by the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Chapter 132), that is, they must be fit for human consumption. For high risk food products such as meat, milk and poultry, irrespective of their country of origin, they must be accompanied with an official certificate or health certificate. Importers of these food products must obtain approval from FEHD in advance. When necessary, FEHD will hold and test the products concerned until they are satisfied with the inspection or testing results. In general, these measures can ensure the safety of food imported from the Mainland and places other than the Mainland.
To enhance the food safety of imported food, we are planning to amend legislations to require imported eggs to be accompanied with health certificate and importers to be registered. The same rules will be applied to eggs imported from the Mainland and other countries or regions. Besides, we are considering to amend legislations to enable the authority to have power to order all wholesalers and retailers to suspend the sale of food with problems. Likewise, the order will apply to food produced locally, produced in the Mainland or imported from other places.
Ends/Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:14
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