Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ11: Tests on vegetable samples
Following is a question by the Hon Fred Li and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (May 24):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the total number of vegetable samples taken in the past year by the
Vegetable Marketing Organisation (VMO) for testing to ascertain whether their
levels of pesticide residues fail to comply with the local requirements or
whether they contain any prohibited pesticides, as well as the respective
numbers of vegetable samples taken by the Food and Environmental Hygiene
Department (FEHD) from local farms, supermarkets, public markets, Man Kam To and
other places for the purpose of conducting such tests;
(b) of the respective vegetable samples taken in the past year by FEHD and VMO
for conducting the above tests, and the vegetable samples which were detected to
contain levels of pesticide residues not complying with the local requirements
as well as the degree of non-compliance;
(c) whether FEHD and VMO detected any vegetable samples containing prohibited
pesticides in the past year; if so, of the number of samples, types of
vegetables and the names of the prohibited pesticides involved;
(d) whether FEHD and VMO have issued guidelines and codes of practice concerning
the inspection of vegetables (e.g. which types of vegetables should be
particularly targeted in a particular season, and the points to note when taking
samples, etc); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(e) as the authorities have urged supermarkets to improve the system for
tracking and tracing the source of their vegetables and other farm produce, and
will explore the feasibility of instituting a voluntary registration system for
farmers engaged in commercial production of food produce and will consult the
public on this matter, whether FEHD, VMO and the Customs and Excise Department
have taken other measures to strengthen the control of the quality of
vegetables; if so, of the details of such measures and whether they are
temporary or long-term measures?
Reply:
Madam President:
(a) The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has collected 19 100
vegetable samples through the Food Surveillance Programme in 2005. The sampling
locations and number of samples collected are shown in Table 1.
Besides, the Vegetable Marketing Organisation (VMO) collected 62 200 vegetable
samples for basic tests on pesticide residues in 2005. The test is a service
provided by the VMO for vegetable wholesalers and buyers so that vegetables
offered to the patrons are of superior quality. If there are any doubts about
pesticide residues in vegetables, the VMO will refer the cases to the FEHD for
follow-up action. The VMO also make use of the test results to educate farmers
on how to use pesticides properly.
(b) & (c) The FEHD and the VMO take samples for tests from four main categories
of vegetables, namely leafy vegetables (e.g. flowering Chinese cabbage and
lettuce), non-leafy vegetables (e.g. cauliflower and broccoli), gourds (e.g.
hairy melon and wax gourd) and others (e.g. pulses and mushrooms). The breakdown
of vegetable samples collected by the FEHD and VMO in 2005 is shown in Table 2.
The standards adopted in Hong Kong for the monitoring of pesticide residues in
food commodities mainly followed those set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission
(Codex). In 2005, vegetables with unsatisfactory results tested by the FEHD are
shown in Table 3.
(d) The FEHD has issued guidelines for sampling and tests of food (including
vegetables) to its staff. Points to note on how to take samples were included in
the guidelines. In addition, while carrying out the Food Surveillance Programme
at the import, wholesale and retail levels, the FEHD makes appropriate changes
to the types and number of samples to be taken for tests based on risk
assessment and scientific analysis.
The VMO has also issued guidelines for sampling and tests on vegetables and
briefed its staff on how to take vegetable samples and handle vegetables that
contain pesticides that exceed permitted levels.
(e) In response to recent reports about vegetables sold in Hong Kong that
contained excessive or unregistered pesticides, the FEHD has stepped up testing
on vegetable samples at the import, wholesale and retail levels and liaised with
the Mainland authorities to share information to ensure the vegetables sold in
Hong Kong markets are fit for human consumption.
The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) has always conducted spot checks on
imported goods at various control points to prevent articles not listed on the
manifests, including vegetables, from being smuggled into Hong Kong. After the
incidents, the C&ED and FEHD have stepped up collaboration to prevent vegetables
unfit for consumption from being smuggled into Hong Kong. Apart from sharing
intelligence, the two departments also undertake frequent joint operations to
ensure that lorries carrying vegetables would be inspected at the food control
centre of Man Kam To Control Point. The C&ED will also continue to strengthen
its intelligence gathering and analysis efforts to better combat various types
of smuggling activities.
The VMO has already recruited more staff to step up quality control for
vegetables sold via its network in order to further enhance the quality of
service for its patrons.
Ends/Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:12
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Attachment:
Tables on LCQ11