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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (December 9) warned all fresh provision shop and market meat stall operators not to sell frozen meat as fresh meat, or they would risk having their licences/tenancy agreements cancelled or terminated.
During a blitz operation this afternoon, FEHD officers found a fresh provision shop in King Lam Estate Market, Tseung Kwan O, selling defrosted beef as fresh beef.
Some 400 kilogrammes of meat, found at the premises, were marked and sealed for further investigation.
"We will consider cancelling the licence of the meat shop concerned as the operator has breached the licensing condition which prohibits the sale of frozen meat as fresh meat," the spokesman said.
The department will continue to closely monitor the sale of meat at the retail level and take stringent enforcement actions to safeguard food safety and public health.
"Anyone who has doubts about meat being sold at retail outlets should call the department's hotline at 2868 0000," he said.
Ends/Friday, December 9, 2005
Issued at HKT 20:00
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