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Following is a transcript of remarks made by the Controller of the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Dr Constance Chan, at a media stand-up session in the Legislative Council Complex today (December 6):
Reporter: Is there a flaw in the inspection system?
Controller of CFS: The Centre for Food Safety is conducting surveillance on food imported from Japan. Today's announcement, which is from Japan, was by a company which announced that they detected caesium in a certain brand. We are now checking the details of the incident. But so far, as far as Hong Kong is concerned, all milk products (including infant milk powder) that we have tested since mid-March this year are all satisfactory.
Reporter: Will a recall be necessary or considered?
Controller of CFS: Based on information announced by the Japanese media today, it concerns a brand in Japan. We are now checking with the authority concerned as to whether this brand has been imported to Hong Kong.
Reporter: Does it mean that we need to strengthen up inspection?
Controller of CFS: Indeed, we have been conducting inspection on Japanese food all along. We will check every incident reported, either in Hong Kong or elsewhere, and step up our surveillance as necessary.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:59
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