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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (November 24) released the test results for 15 samples on malachite green.
They included six samples of freshwater fish, four of marine fish, two of fish product, two of fish meat and one of canned fish.
¡§Among them, one sample of live green grouper and one sample of mud carp fish meat, were found to have the chemical. Malachite green was not detected in the canned fish sample, ¡¨a spokesman for the department said.
The green grouper sample, collected from a fish stall at Kwun Tong Wholesale Fish Market, was found to contain the chemical at 3.7 micrograms/kilogram (ug/kg).
The mud carp fish meat sample was detected to contain malachite green at 22 ug/kg. It was collected from the Western Wholesale Food Market.
The spokesman said the level of the chemical in the food samples should pose no immediate health hazards.
¡§The FEHD has taken immediate follow-up action with the suppliers concerned to stop the sale of the same batch of food products in question. The presence of malachite green in all food sold in Hong Kong is prohibited under the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations.
¡§The department will continue to monitor the situation.¡¨ he said.
Ends/Thursday, November 24, 2005
Issued at HKT 17:33
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