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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 29) that a consignment of frozen pork feet from Gunma Prefecture, Japan, was imported into Hong Kong without the necessary certificate of radiation levels. All products have been marked and sealed and none have entered the market. Follow-up is in progress.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS, when inspecting a consignment claimed to be frozen pork feet imported from Gunma Prefecture, Japan, found that the products concerned were not accompanied by a certificate of radiation levels issued by the competent authority of Japan. The consignment, totalling 2 400 cartons, was marked and sealed. None have entered the market. For the sake of prudence, samples of the products concerned were taken for testing of radiation levels and all test results were satisfactory."
In response to the Fukushima nuclear power plant incident in Japan in 2011, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued an order under Section 78B of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132) to prohibit the import of vegetables and fruits, milk, milk beverages and milk powder from the five most affected prefectures of Japan, namely Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba and Gunma. The CFS also prohibits the import of all chilled or frozen game, meat and poultry, all poultry eggs and all live, chilled or frozen aquatic products from the five prefectures to Hong Kong, unless accompanied by a certificate issued by the competent authority of Japan certifying that the radiation levels do not exceed the guideline levels.
"The aforesaid order is still in force. The food trade must strictly comply with the order and not to import illegally any restricted food from the five Japanese prefectures concerned. Anyone found guilty of contravening any terms of the order is liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for 12 months," the spokesman said.
The CFS will continue to closely follow up on the incident and take appropriate action, including informing the Japanese authorities of the incident. Prosecution will be instituted against the importer concerned should there be sufficient evidence. Investigation is ongoing.
Ends/Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Issued at HKT 21:52
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