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In response to media enquiries on the findings of recent testing of turtle jelly products, a spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) responded today (October 25) as follows:
The C&ED last month test-purchased and collected 29 samples of turtle jelly products of different brands throughout the territory for testing by the Government Laboratory. The samples included turtle herbal jelly, turtle herbal essence and gummy.
The Government Laboratory adopted an analytical method, namely Polymerase Chain Reaction, for testing the composition of turtle DNA in the 29 samples. Findings of the test showed that all samples contained turtle constituents. DNA testing is a molecular biochemical technique - a high precision method effective for use in analysing specific DNA fragments in samples to identify species. This technique is widely used in the testing of food and other products and is highly recognised in the industry as a sound scientific method to identify turtle constituents in samples.
The C&ED will continue monitoring turtle jelly products on sale in the market for the protection of consumers.
Ends/Friday, October 25, 2013
Issued at HKT 19:21
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