Press Releases
Legislative amendment to ban use of malachite green in food
The Government has proposed to amend the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations
under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) to prohibit
the use of malachite green in food to ensure food safety and protect public
health.
The legislative amendment was proposed following malachite green being found in
11 out of 14 samples available so far among the 27 collected samples of live
eels and eel products for sale in local markets and food outlets following the
recall of eel products destined for export by the Guangdong Entry-Exit
Inspection and Quarantine Bureau on the Mainland on Tuesday (August 16).
A spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (August 19) that
the Government proposed to add malachite green as a item in the First Schedule
of the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations to prohibit its presence in all
food sold in Hong Kong.
The amendment would also have the effect of controlling live fish as food with
regard to the use of malachite green, the spokesman added.
The Harmful Substances in Food Regulations govern the import and sale of food
containing harmful substances. The First Schedule of the Regulations stipulates
the maximum amount of harmful substances allowed in food.
Any person who imports, consigns, delivers, manufactures or sells for human
consumption any food containing substances exceeding the concentration level
stipulated in the Regulations commits an offence.
The maximum penalty for the offence will be a fine of $50,000 and six months'
imprisonment.
Malachite green is a type of industrial dye and has been used for treating
infection in fish. Major agricultural economies such as the Mainland, the
European Union and the United States prohibit the use of the chemical in food
fish.
In addition, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will continue
to collect samples of eel and eel products for testing. The FEHD will exercise
its statutory power under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to
seize and destroy the food if it is unfit for human consumption.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and FEHD will
issue advisory letters immediately to inform the fish trade and food business
respectively of the present position. Traders will be reminded that their
products should not contain malachite green and must be fit for human
consumption. They will also be informed that the AFCD will step up the
surveillance of fresh water fish in wholesale markets and the FEHD will step up
the surveillance of food fish and their products in food business premises, as
well as being told of the Government's plan to introduce the legislative
amendment.
The spokesman said: "As food safety is a livelihood issue of great concern to
the community, the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau has decided to undertake a
comprehensive review including enhancing the notification system with the
Mainland, surveillance and enforcement support services, inspection and food
sampling/laboratory testing work.
"We are actively considering the establishment of a Food Safety Centre with
focal control on food-related matters."
Ends/Friday, August 19, 2005
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