The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 11) that an aquatic product processed in a regulated Japanese prefecture was suspected to be in breach of the relevant Food Safety Order when the CFS inspected a consignment of food imported from Japan. The product concerned has been marked and sealed by the CFS and has not entered the market. The CFS is following up on the case.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "During an inspection of the food label of the concerned consignment of food imported from Japan, the CFS found four boxes of frozen scallops suspected to have been processed in Chiba Prefecture after the Order was issued. The importer concerned is thus suspected of breaching the relevant Order."
According to the Order, all aquatic products originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, are prohibited from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong if they are harvested, manufactured, processed or packed on or after August 24, 2023, including all live, chilled, frozen, dried or otherwise preserved aquatic products, sea salt, and unprocessed or processed seaweed.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action, including informing the Japanese authorities concerned of the incident. Prosecution will be instituted against the importer concerned should there be sufficient evidence. The investigation is ongoing.
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