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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 25) reminded the public to pay attention to food safety to prevent food-related illness during holidays and seasonal celebrations. Susceptible groups, such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems or liver diseases, should avoid eating high risk food like raw oysters.
A CFS spokesman said, "The CFS received referrals from the Centre for Health Protection on two suspected food poisoning clusters recently. Raw oysters were among the suspected food items in both outbreaks. Investigation is underway and the CFS is proactively following up on the incidents. Food and environmental samples were collected at the food premises concerned. Health advices were conveyed to the food handlers and restaurant management involved. Upon CFS' request, sale of raw oyster was suspended on both food premises. The CFS is also tracing the source and distribution of the raw oysters in question."
Investigation is still ongoing.
The spokesman reminded members of the public that raw oyster is one of the high risk food items. Consumers should pay particular attention to the associated food safety risk when making food choices.
"As oysters are fed by filtering a large volume of seawater, pathogens (such as norovirus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus), chemical contaminants or natural toxins can accumulate in them if they are grown in or harvested from contaminated water. There is no effective measure that can completely eliminate the risk of norovirus in raw oysters. Susceptible groups, such as pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems or liver diseases, should avoid eating raw oysters," he said.
Special attention should be applied to the following key measures when buying and consuming raw oysters:
* Do not eat oysters raw if they are intended for consumption only after cooking;
* Buy raw oysters from reliable and licensed premises;
* Check with the shop whether the oysters are accompanied by health certificates issued by competent authorities from their places of origin stating that the oysters are suitable for consumption in uncooked state, before placing your order; and
* Keep raw oysters at four degrees Celsius or below during transportation and storage.
The CFS will continue to closely follow up on the incidents and take appropriate actions to safeguard food safety and public health.
Ends/Thursday, December 25, 2014
Issued at HKT 22:05
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