Excessive cadmium found in imported crab sample
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 15) announced that an imported crab sample from Australia was detected with cadmium, a metallic contaminant, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the incident.
"The CFS collected the above-mentioned crab sample at the import level for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained cadmium at a level of 6.17 parts per million, exceeding the legal limit of 2 ppm," a spokesman for the CFS said.
"Long-term excessive intake of cadmium may affect the kidney functions. The CFS has informed the importer concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sales and remove from shelves the affected product. The CFS is also tracing the source and distribution of the product concerned," the spokesman added.
According to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap. 132V), any person who sells food with metallic contamination above the legal limit is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.
The CFS will alert the Australian authorities and the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.
Source: AI-generated images
CFS follows up on vegetables imported from Japan suspected of breaching Food Safety Order
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (September 11) that vegetables from a regulated Japanese prefecture were suspected to be in breach of the relevant Food Safety Order when the CFS inspected food imported from Japan. The products concerned have been marked and sealed by the CFS and have not entered the market. The CFS is following up on the cases.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "During inspections of the concerned consignments of food imported from Japan, the CFS found a pack of peppermint and five packs of perilla leaves from Ibaraki Prefecture which were not accompanied with radiation certificates and exporter certificates after the Order was issued. The importers concerned are thus suspected of breaching the relevant Order."
According to the Order, all vegetables, fruits, milk, milk beverages and dried milk originating from Fukushima are banned from being imported into Hong Kong, while such foods originating from Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba and Gunma prefectures are allowed to be imported on the condition that they are accompanied with a radiation certificate and an exporter certificate issued by the Japanese authority certifying that the radiation levels do not exceed the guideline levels and are fit for human consumption.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incidents and take appropriate action, including informing the Japanese authorities concerned of the incidents. Prosecution will be instituted against the importers concerned should there be sufficient evidence. The investigation is ongoing.
Source: AI-generated images
