The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (September 22) that chestnut products from a regulated prefecture were found when the CFS inspected a consignment of food imported from Japan and the importer concerned was suspected to be in breach of the relevant Food Safety Order. 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 inspection of a food label, the CFS found a pack of chestnuts from Ibaraki Prefecture that was not accompanied with a radiation certificate and an exporter certificate in the concerned consignment of food imported from Japan, suspected of breaching the relevant Order."
According to the Order, all vegetables, fruit, milk, milk beverages and dried milk originating from Fukushima are banned from importation into Hong Kong while such foods originating from Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki 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 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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