HK tightens freshwater fish checks
23/8/2005 7:51
The Hong Kong government has taken measures to guard food safety after
malachite green, a cancer-causing chemical, was found in freshwater fish in
markets.
At the same time, health authorities warned people to eat freshwater
fish with caution. Last Wednesday several species were found contaminated with
malachite green including big head, grass carp, edible goldfish, freshwater
grouper and common carp, as well as eel products.
Freshwater fish and eel
have disappeared in supermarkets such as ParknShop, Wellcome and Sogo.
The
chemical was used to treat fungal infections at fish farms and has been banned
on the Chinese mainland since 2002 because it contains a toxin that may lead to
cancer.
York Chow Yat-ngok, Hong Kong's secretary for health, welfare and
food said yesterday the authorities will ban the chemical by amending
regulations.
Malachite green has been banned in other countries.
Chow said
that fish and fish products would be listed as food items under regular
inspection.
A spokesman from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
assured the public: "We will take follow-up action and the products in question
will be disposed of."
The government said due to community concerns about the
presence of malachite green in freshwater fish, an inter-departmental working
group will take more samples to assess the situation accurately.
The measures
the group would take include speeding up samples tests, announcing results as
soon as possible, amending the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations, as well
as explaining the latest situation to trade representatives.
Chow said, "The
Chinese mainland authorities immediately tightened inspections after being
informed by the Hong Kong government of the test results."
He said better
communication with the Chinese mainland, particularly provinces in the region,
was important since Hong Kong imports a large portion of its food from the
Chinese mainland.
Noting the HKSAR government has randomly checked meat and
vegetable imports, Chow hopes the practice will be extended to fish.
The
HKSAR government is determined to regulate all seafood, and amend legislation
accordingly.
"It will be a prohibited substance in food, including live
fish," Chow said. "Once the regulation is passed we can exercise our
jurisdiction to confiscate fish that contain malachite green."
Xinhua
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