Urine samples from imported pigs confirmed to contain veterinary drug residues
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A spokesman for the FEHD said, “The FEHD, based on the information provided by the operator of the slaughterhouse concerned, sent health inspectors to mark and seal the affected pork and pig offals at the retail outlets concerned yesterday. A total of about 2 200 kg of pork and pig offals were marked and sealed while about 1 300kg of pork and pig offals were voluntarily surrendered by the retailers. All the pork and pig offals concerned will be disposed of tomorrow (August 7). As for the same batch of pigs which were isolated at the slaughterhouses, the disposal work has already started.”
The spokesman has stressed that the retail outlets concerned have sold the affected pigs under an uninformed condition. The FEHD will exercise stringent control to ensure all pork and pig offals sold at any retail outlets are fit for human consumption.
In response to media reports that the list of affected retail outlets released yesterday might contain inaccurate information, the spokesman explained that the related information was gathered and provided by the operator of the slaughterhouse concerned. In view of the fact that some affected pigs have been distributed to the local market, the Department, for the sake of prudence and protection of public health, had taken swift actions to mark and seal the affected pork and pig offals at the retail outlets as well as urge consumers to stop eating the pork and pig offals bought from these outlets. The FEHD will follow up further with the retail outlets concerned.
The spokesman reiterated that according to the established mechanism, samples are collected from every batch of food animals admitted to the slaughterhouses in Hong Kong for testing of chemicals and veterinary drug residues. If there are samples found to be unsatisfactory, the affected batches of the animals will be withheld and destroyed. The FEHD is conducting a comprehensive investigation into the incident and review.
Ends/Saturday, August 6, 2016
Issued at HKT 21:37
Issued at HKT 21:37
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