CFS follows up on illegal import of sweet potato from Japan

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 28) that 60 cartons of sweet potato (a total of 300 kilograms) from Chiba Prefecture, Japan, were illegally imported into Hong Kong, breaching the relevant Food Safety Order. None of the product concerned has entered the market. The CFS is following up on the case.
      
     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS inspected a consignment of food imported from Japan and found that the above-mentioned product from Chiba Prefecture therein was not accompanied with a radiation certificate and an exporter certificate issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan, breaching the relevant Food Safety Order. The product concerned has not entered the market and has been marked and sealed by the CFS. The Centre has taken a sample of the product concerned for testing of the radiation level and no radiation has been detected.
      
     "According to the Order, the import of vegetables, fruit, milk, milk beverages and dried milk from four Japanese prefectures, namely Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba and Gunma, must be accompanied with radiation certificates and exporter certificates issued by the MAFF of Japan."
      
     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. Investigation is ongoing.