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The Department of Health (DH) reminds the public to adopt proper food, environmental and personal hygiene when preparing food for hot pot cooking in the coming winter months.

The Deputy Director, Dr Regina Ching, noted that the hot pot menu usually includes shellfish, such as oysters, scallops and clams, which have been kept in sea water.

"If the sea water is contaminated by the Hepatitis A virus, the virus can accumulate inside the bodies of shellfish. If the shellfish are not prepared properly, the diners can contract Hepatitis A."

Hot pot diners should take the following measures to prevent Hepatitis A:

* To ensure that seafood is hygiencic, buy it and clean it yourself whenever possible.

* Never patronise unlicensed vendors or those whose hygiene standards are poor.

* Buy seafood which is fresh, with its shells intact and without any strange smell.

* Before cooking, wash and scrub the shellfish and place them in clean water for a period so that they can expel pollutants from their bodies.

* The outer shells should be removed and the shellfish cooked in boiling water for a relatively long time to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked.

* Never eat seafood that has not been thoroughly cooked.

"We should keep up our vigilance in hot pot cooking to prevent contracting common food-borne diseases in winter, not only Hepatitis A but also salmonella and vibrio parahaemoliticus infections. We must also beware of poisoning from pesticide-tainted vegetables," Dr Ching said.

The public should also observe the following hygiene measures while hot pot cooking:

* Never use raw egg as a dipping sauce for hot pot; it can be contaminated by salmonella, which can only be killed at high temperatures.

* Avoid sprinkling your food with raw spring onions.

* Make sure that vegetables are washed thoroughly. Always soak vegetables in clean water for a period of time to ensure that any pesticide on the vegetables is washed off.

* Use different sets of chopsticks to handle raw and cooked meat to avoid cross contamination.

* Store the washed and prepared food in the refrigerator at a temperature below 4 degrees Celsius. Eat the food as soon as possible after cooking.

* Meat should be cut into thin slices and left in the hot pot long enough to ensure that it is cooked thoroughly.

Dr Ching reminded the public to maintain a balanced diet by including grains and cereals such as Japanese woodong, vermicelli and noodle in the hot pot; to eat plenty of vegetables; to choose lean meats and never gorge oneself on meat and seafood; and avoid using too much dipping sauce.

The public can call the DH hotline 2833 0111 or visit the DH's Health Zone homepage at http://www.cheu.gov.hk for more information.

End/Tuesday, November 11, 2003

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