The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 8) announced that a pear sample and a leaf mustard sample were found to have pesticide residues at levels exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the cases.
 
     A CFS spokesman said, "The CFS collected the pear sample at the import level and the leaf mustard sample from a stall in Kowloon City Market for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that the pear sample and the leaf mustard sample contained cyhalothrin at levels of 0.64 parts per million (ppm) and 0.42 ppm respectively, i.e. 3.2 times and 2.1 times the maximum residue limit (0.2 ppm).

     "Based on the levels of the pesticide residue detected in the samples, adverse health effects will not be caused under usual consumption."

     Generally speaking, to reduce pesticide residues in vegetables, members of the public could rinse vegetables several times under running water, then soak them in water for one hour, or blanch them in boiling water for one minute and discard the water. With regard to fruits, consumers should rinse them thoroughly under running water before consumption. To further reduce the intake of pesticide residues, the outer leaves or peel of the vegetables can be removed as appropriate. The fruit can also be peeled.

     Any person who imports, manufactures or sells any food not in compliance with the requirements of the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap 132CM) concerning pesticide residues commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     Since the regulation came into effect on August 1, 2014, the CFS has taken over 88 800 food samples at import, wholesale and retail levels for testing of pesticide residues, and a total of 174 vegetable and fruit samples (including the unsatisfactory samples announced today) have been detected as having excessive pesticide residues. The overall unsatisfactory rate is less than 0.3 per cent.

     The CFS will follow up on the unsatisfactory results, including tracing the sources and distribution of the food in question and taking samples for testing, so as to safeguard public health. Investigation is ongoing.

Ends/Thursday, December 8, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:46

NNNN