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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 28) that the import restriction on beef from the United Kingdom (UK) is further relaxed with immediate effect.
"In view of the UK's implementation of enhanced control measures against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, also known as mad cow disease) and the fact that the UK has been granted 'Controlled' BSE risk status by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the CFS, having completed an audit inspection of enhanced control measures imposed by the UK and being convinced that food safety can be assured, has decided to further relax the import restriction on UK beef. The decision has also been endorsed by the Expert Committee on Food Safety," a CFS spokesman said.
"Following the further relaxation of the import restriction, deboned beef and bone-in beef from cattle of all ages and offal, excluding specified risk materials and mechanically separated meat, are allowed to be imported from the UK. Each and every consignment of beef must have the CFS' prior written permission and be accompanied by a health certificate when being imported," he added.
Since May 2012, boneless beef from cattle of all ages and beef rib cuts and other bone-in products (except vertebral column cuts) from cattle less than 30 months old have been allowed to be imported from the UK.
"The CFS will continue to closely monitor the information and recommendations issued by the OIE concerning BSE worldwide. Appropriate actions will be taken to safeguard food safety and public health," the spokesman said.
Ends/Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Issued at HKT 21:25
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