A spokesman for the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said today (November 3) that regarding the CFS' earlier announcement that two hairy crab samples were found to contain dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) exceeding the action level adopted by the CFS, the trade should immediately stop sale and remove from shelves the hairy crabs imported from the two aquaculture farms concerned in Jiangsu Province in accordance with the CFS’ instructions to ensure food safety.

     The spokesman said "The trade should only import hairy crabs from Mainland aquaculture farms registered for supplying edible aquatic animals to Hong Kong. CFS will act in accordance with the information of the Mainland aquaculture farms and the local importers on the Animal Health Certificates. In case of food incidents, the CFS can conduct follow-up investigations with the importers concerned based on the information collected from the health certificates.

    "With regard to claims by some members of the trade that the hairy crabs sold by them were not from the aquaculture farms stated on the health certificates, the CFS will follow up the matter with the vendors and the Mainland authorities concerned."

    The spokesman said as most of the food products in Hong Kong are imported, for those food items of higher risks such as hairy crabs and beef, the Government, through liaising with the official authorities of different exporting countries and regions, has set up a source control mechanism to be implemented by them, including the issue of health certificates. In addition, the Government exercises stringent control within the territory. The CFS has all along been collecting samples of all kinds of food products imported into Hong Kong from different parts of the world at import, wholesale and retail levels so as to ensure food safety and safeguard public health.

    Moreover, in view of the incident, the CFS has stepped up surveillance against hairy crabs at the import and retail levels. So far six samples have been submitted to the Government Laboratory for testing of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs. Test results are expected to be available within two weeks.

   The CFS will also continue to follow up on the recall of the affected hairy crabs. According to the information provided by the importers concerned, most of the affected hairy crabs have been sold.  As at today, a total of about 800 kilograms of hairy crabs have been recalled by the importers.

    On media reports that some members of the trade claimed that they would continue to sell the affected hairy crabs, the spokesman stressed that the CFS has not withdrawn its instructions of removing from shelves or recall of the affected hairy crabs. If the trade does not remove the concerned hairy crabs from shelves, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department can affix a mark or a seal to the hairy crabs concerned and consider disposing of such food under Section 59 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132). Sale of hairy crabs which bear health certificates proving that they are not originated from the two aquaculture farms concerned will not be affected.

    The CFS will maintain close contact with the relevant Mainland authorities, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate follow-up action to safeguard food safety and public health.

Ends/Thursday, November 3, 2016
Issued at HKT 22:22

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