The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 9) announced that a durian sample was detected with curcumin, a colouring matter which should not be added to fruit and vegetables … read more
Police today (August 9) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Kwai Chung. Chan Wai-cheong, aged 53, went missing after he left his residence in Kwai Fong Estat… read more
​Hong Kong Customs seized about 6.8 kilograms of suspected liquid cocaine with an estimated market value of about $6.7 million at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (August 8).
Four male passengers, aged between 19 and 41, arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at noon yesterday. During Customs clearance, eight liquor bottles containing suspected liquid cocaine were found inside the baggage carried by them. They were then arrested.
Investigation is ongoing.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
​The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 9) that a sample of swordfish sashimi was found to contain a metal contaminant, mercury, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the case.
A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a restaurant in Yuen Long for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that it contained mercury at a level of 2.28 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 0.5 ppm.”
The spokesman said that the CFS had informed the restaurant concerned of the irregularity and had requested it to stop sale of the affected batch of the product. The Centre is tracing the source of the product concerned.
“Mercury may affect the nervous system, particularly the developing brain. At high levels, mercury can affect foetal brain development, and affect vision, hearing, muscle co-ordination and memory in adults. Furthermore, as some international organisations such as the World Health Organization have pointed out, consuming predatory fish species is the main source of mercury intake for human beings. The report of the CFS’ Total Diet Study has also pointed out that large fish or predatory fish species may contain high mercury levels (for example, tuna, alfonsino, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy and king mackerel). Hence, groups particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of mercury, such as pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children, should opt for fish that are smaller in size for consumption and avoid consumption of the above-mentioned types of fish which may contain high mercury levels to minimise the health risk posed to the foetus, infants and young children by excessive exposure to metal contaminants in food,” he added.
According to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap 132V), any person who sells food with metallic contamination above the legal limit may be prosecuted and is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.
“People are advised to maintain a balanced and varied diet. To avoid health risks posed by excessive intake of metallic contaminants, pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children should avoid eating large or predatory fish,” the spokesman said.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing. read more
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (August 9) investigating a case of human infection of rat Hepatitis E virus (HEV) and urged members of the public to be vigilant against hepatitis E infection and to strictly observe good personal, food and environmental hygiene.
The case involves a 43-year-old man with underlying illnesses, who had presented with liver function derangement since May this year. He has been in a stable condition all along and no hospitalisation is required. His blood sample tested positive for rat HEV upon laboratory testing.
The CHP’s epidemiological investigations revealed that the patient resided in Kwai Tsing district. He could neither recall having direct contact with rodents or their excreta, nor had noticed rodents in his residence. He had travelled to Shenzhen during the incubation period.
“Based on the available epidemiological information, the source and the route of infection could not be determined. The CHP’s investigation is ongoing,” a spokesman for the CHP said.
“The CHP has already informed the Pest Control Advisory Section of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department about the case to carry out rodent control measures and a survey as appropriate,” the spokesman added.
The exact mode of transmission of rat HEV to humans is unknown at the moment. Possible routes of transmission include ingestion of food or water contaminated by rodents or their excreta, exposure to environments or objects contaminated by rodents or their excreta and direct contact with rodents or their excreta. The usual HEV causing human infection is transmitted mainly through the faecal-oral route.
To prevent hepatitis E infection, members of the public should maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene. For example, they should wash hands thoroughly before eating, store food properly or in the refrigerator, not leave food at room temperature for a long time, and use 1:99 diluted household bleach for general household cleaning and disinfection as household detergent may not be able to kill HEV. High-risk individuals, such as elderly persons with a major underlying illness (especially those who have undergone organ transplantation), pregnant women, patients with chronic liver disease and patients with Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (also known as G6PD Deficiency), who are infected with HEV may develop a serious illness, so they should exercise extra caution.
The Five Keys to Food Safety should be adopted when handling food, i.e. Choose (choose safe raw materials), Clean (keep hands and utensils clean), Separate (separate raw and cooked food), Cook (cook thoroughly) and Safe Temperature (keep food at a safe temperature), to prevent food-borne diseases.