â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 15) that a sample of loose-packed Shanghai noodles was found to contain a preservative, benzoic acid, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the case.
      
     A spokesman for the CFS said, "Subsequent to announcing earlier that a sample of Shanghai noodles taken from a shop in Tin Shui Wai was found to contain excessive benzoic acid, the CFS took a sample from another batch of Shanghai noodles from the same shop for testing during a follow-up investigation. A similar irregularity was detected, with the test result showing that the sample contained benzoic acid at a level of 2 100 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 1 000 ppm."
      
     The CFS had informed the vendor concerned about the irregularity and the vendor has already stopped selling the food item in question, according to the CFS’ instructions. The CFS is tracing the source of the affected product. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.
      
     Benzoic acid is a preservative of low toxicity. Based on the level detected in the sample, adverse health effects would not be caused from normal consumption.
      
     The spokesman reminded the food trade that the use of preservatives in food must comply with the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap 132BD). Offenders are liable for a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction.
      
     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action.

     Tai Kong Industrial (Holdings) Co Limited and its two directors were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay wages in accordance with the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its directors pleaded guilty at Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (July 15). The company was fined $60,000, while its two directors were fined $30,000 and $3,000 respectively.

     The company failed to pay three employees' wages totalling about $146,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods as required by the EO. The two directors concerned were prosecuted and convicted for their consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences committed by the company.

     "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within the time limit stipulated in the EO," a spokesman for LD said.

     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     The Home Affairs Department will open 19 temporary night heat shelters tonight (July 15) for people in need of the service.
 
     The shelters will be open from 10.30pm until 8am tomorrow.
 
     For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2835 1473.
 
     The 19 night heat shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Districts:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern –
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
 
Wan Chai –
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin

Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate
Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building,
39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai

     The temporary night heat shelters will resume their functions as either community centres or community halls in the daytime for hire by the local community and cannot continue to be open as heat shelters. People may choose to take refuge from the heat during the daytime in the common areas in any of the 20 designated community centres or community halls. Their opening hours are from 9am to 10pm. For addresses of the community centres or community halls, please browse the following webpage: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf.

     The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (July 15) that it registered 13 lease modifications and one land exchange in the Land Registry during the quarter ending June 2019, of which five were modifications of a technical nature involving nil premium.
          
     Among these 14 land transactions, four are located on Hong Kong Island, three are in Kowloon and seven are in the New Territories. The transactions exclude Small House cases.
          
     A further eight lots were granted by private treaty during the period. One was granted to the Urban Renewal Authority for residential development in Tai Kok Tsui, one was for the development of a student hostel and staff quarters in Sai Ying Pun, one was for garden use in Shek O and the other five were granted to the Hong Kong Housing Authority for Home Ownership Scheme development or public housing development.
          
     The above land transactions realised a total land premium of about $3,376.208 million.
          
     Transaction records of the lease modifications, land exchanges and private treaty grants, including those registered recently, are uploaded to the LandsD website (www.landsd.gov.hk) on a monthly basis. Details of the transactions may be obtained by searching the registered documents in the Land Registry.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 15) announced that a trace amount of malachite green was found in a freshwater grouper sample. Follow-up is in progress.

     A CFS spokesman said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned freshwater grouper sample from a stall at the Cheung Sha Wan Wholesale Food Market for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained a trace amount of malachite green at a level of 2.8 parts per billion."

     The spokesman added, "The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale of the affected product."

     Malachite green is a type of industrial dye and has been used for treating infections in fish. Malachite green is possibly both genotoxic and carcinogenic. According to the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), there is no safe level of residues of malachite green or its metabolites in food that represents an acceptable risk to consumers. Currently, malachite green has been prohibited for use in food producing animals in many countries. According to the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations (Cap 132AF), no food sold in Hong Kong is allowed to contain malachite green. Offenders will be prosecuted and will be liable to a fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action, including tracing the source of the affected product. Should there be sufficient evidence, prosecution will be initiated. Investigation is ongoing.