Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ1: Arrangements for announcing the results of food and product safety tests
Following is a question by the Hon Fred Li and a reply by the Secretary for
Health Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today
(November 30):
Question:
It has been reported that in the middle of last month, the Food and
Environmental Hygiene Department detected carcinogenic substances in three
samples of canned mud carp, while in September this year, the Agriculture,
Fisheries and Conservation Department found the presence of unregistered
pesticides in 11 samples of mosquito repellent coils. After learning of such
test results, both departments only informed sellers to stop selling and to
recall the foods and products, instead of making prompt announcements to the
public. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the
following:
(a) the respective numbers of cases in the past three years in which the two
departments announced the relevant information immediately after learning that
certain foods and products had failed the food safety tests, and those in which
they did not;
(b) the criteria the two departments adopted for determining whether prompt
announcements should be made and the contents of such announcements, such as the
information on brand names, countries of origin and batch numbers; and
(c) the two departments' plans to improve the arrangements for announcing the
results of food and product safety tests so that the public will be informed, at
an early stage, about the details of the foods and products that have failed the
tests?
Reply:
Madam President:
(a) The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) discovered 159, 141 and
164 cases where food samples failed the food safety tests under the regular Food
Surveillance Programme in 2002, 2003 and 2004 respectively. For each and every
case that failed the test, FEHD has issued warning letters to the retailers and
wholesalers concerned, ordered them to stop selling the problem products and
asked for information about their suppliers in order to follow up the problem at
source.
Between January 2002 and December 2004, FEHD has immediately notified the public
of the names and information of three problem food products, including those
that were detected to pose immediate or grave hazard to the public health under
the regular Food Surveillance Programme, those that aroused widespread public
concern and those that were recalled in Hong Kong because of major food
incidents that occurred outside the territories. During this period of time,
there are a total of 461 problem food products of which the names were not
announced immediately. Since early 2005, FEHD has announced immediately the
names and information of three problem food products.
Since 2002, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD)
discovered two cases of pesticides which did not register according to the
Pesticides Ordinance Cap 133, involving 12 products. For each case, AFCD has
issued warning letters to the wholesalers and retailers concerned, ordered them
to stop supplying and selling the problem products, and to conduct products
recall. Among the 12 products, AFCD has notified the public of the names and
information of 11 products. The products concerned do not pose immediate or
serious impact to health of the public.
(b) In the event of a major (local or overseas) food incident or related
incident that causes widespread concern or discovery of any food product that
poses immediate or serious impact to the public health under the regular Food
Surveillance Programme, FEHD will immediately notify the public of the relevant
information and the name of the product. In the surveillance of product safety,
if there is an event of major product safety incident or related incident that
causes widespread concern, or discovery of any product that poses immediate or
serious impact to the public health, AFCD will immediately notify the public of
the relevant information and the name of the product. FEHD will also inform the
media and the public of the results of food tests conducted under its Food
Surveillance Programme through press releases and its website on a regular
basis.
(c) The HKSAR Government is dedicated to protecting public health. Upon
discovery of any food or product sample that failed food safety tests and posed
grave hazard to the public health, the department concerned will immediately
publish information about the food or product. FEHD will review its mode of
release of results for its regular Food Surveillance Programme, taking into
consideration factors such as public health, social concern, the public's right
to information and the impact on the trade. We will submit a proposal for
discussion for the Legislative Council in due course. AFCD will also review its
mode of release of results of the product safety surveillance.
Ends/Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Issued at HKT 12:29
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