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The Controller of the Centre for Food Safety (CFS), Dr Mak Sin-ping, announced today (December 7) the test results for seawater fish samples.
Dr Mak said in view of recent public concern about live fish, the CFS had collected 20 seawater fish samples at the wholesale and retail level for tests.
She said the samples comprised 13 different kinds of seawater fish, including sweetlip, pompano, coral grouper, green grouper, tiger grouper, aerolate grouper, red drum, blue-barred orange parrotfish, spotted silver scat, yellowfin seabream, deepsea rabbit fish, flowery grouper and leopard coral grouper.
Dr Mak said, "Test results for most of the fish samples were satisfactory. All the 20 samples were free from malachite green."
"However, nitrofurans were present in three samples ﷿ pompano, tiger grouper and flowery grouper -- at levels of 0.0026 ppm, 0.044 ppm and 0.47 ppm respectively."
"The pompano was taken from a supermarket in Tai Kok Tsui, while the tiger grouper and flowery grouper from a wholesaler in Kwun Tong. We are tracing the supply sources."
"As the levels of nitrofurans detected in the fish samples were low, normal consumption should not pose any adverse health effects. There is no cause for undue alarm."
"We would continue to monitor the situation closely to protect public health," she said.
Ends/Thursday, December 7, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:25
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