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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (October 31) found that the level of pesticide residues in a Chinese lettuce sample exceeded the legal limit. While the CFS is following up on the case, members of the public are reminded to prepare vegetables suitably before consumption, including rinsing and soaking them, to reduce any pesticide residues on the surface.
A CFS spokesman said, "The CFS collected the Chinese lettuce sample at import level under its regular Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained Methamidophos at a level of 0.11 parts per million (ppm), i.e. 2.2 times the legal limit (0.05 ppm). According to the preliminary information provided by the vendor concerned, the affected Chinese lettuce was from the Mainland. The CFS is liaising with the Mainland authority to follow up on the incident."
He added, "Based on the level of pesticide residue detected in the vegetable sample, adverse health effects will not be caused under normal consumption."
To minimise health risks posed by consuming vegetables contaminated by pesticide residues, the spokesman reminded the public to rinse vegetables several times under running water before soaking them in water for one hour, or blanch the vegetables in boiling water for one minute and discard the water, or do both to further minimise risks.
Since the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap. 132CM) came into effect on August 1, the CFS has taken over 6 500 food samples at import, wholesale and retail levels for testing of pesticide residues and a total of 22 vegetable samples have been detected with excessive pesticide residues. The overall unsatisfactory rate is less than 0.4 per cent. Any person who imports, manufactures or sells any food not in compliance with the requirements of the Regulation concerning pesticide residues commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months.
The CFS will follow up on the unsatisfactory result, including tracing the source of the food in question and taking different samples of vegetables for testing so on to safeguard public health.
Ends/Friday, October 31, 2014
Issued at HKT 20:56
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