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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) tested 40 marine fish samples today (August 16), and revealed that no plastic pellets were detected. Since August 6, the CFS has tested 410 marine fish samples in the wholesale and retail markets of Hong Kong and no plastic pellets have been detected. Tests conducted so far have suggested that the pellet incident did not cause an adverse impact on food safety.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) did not receive any report of the presence of plastic pellets or abnormal fish death at fish culture zones from mariculturists today. The AFCD collected four live fish samples from Cheung Sha Wan fish culture zone today and a 0.03-gram plastic pellet was found in the stomach of a yellow grouper (weighing 0.53 kilograms).
Although the food safety risk is low, members of the public should check and clean fish thoroughly and remove all internal organs before cooking.
Due to inclement weather conditions, cleaning operations of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Marine Department could not continue today.
Up to this moment, the FEHD has collected about 28 tonnes of plastic pellets.
A Government spokesman said that the Government will continue its inter-departmental monitoring operations. Clean-up action will be carried out as soon as plastic pellets are detected so as to minimise the impact of the incident on the environment, food safety and human health.
Ends/Thursday, August 16, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:37
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