Press Releases
SHWF on food safety and health issues
Following is a transcript of the remarks (English portion) by the Secretary for
Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, at a stand-up media session after
attending a meeting of Legislative Council's Panel on Food Safety and
Environmental Hygiene today (October 13):
Reporter: (on oysters)
Dr Chow: We take action to announce the source of these oysters because we feel
this is an area of public interest and in protection of public health. This is
the reason why we take this action. All 33 patients who had food poisoning had
(eaten) oysters and they had oysters from four different restaurants. All these
four restaurants had their oysters supplied by one supplier. This is a very
clear evidence that oyster is the highest suspicious source of their infection.
Reporter: Why did the Government name the supplier?
Dr Chow: We know that this supplier has also supplied oysters to many other
restaurants, and may be even some other outlets. We feel that the public have
the right to know that if they have obtained oysters from this supplier, they
need to be more cautious.
Reporter: What about the legal action being contemplated by the supplier?
Dr Chow: We feel that we have sufficient legal grounds before we made this
announcement.
Reporter: Can you explain something about the RFID technique?
Dr Chow: This is very similar to some of the products that are being transacted
across the border. We are using live pigs as a pilot (project). If they have all
the information regarding where they come from, in terms of their farms, their
breeding places and whether they have any drugs, in the record which is all
embedded into a chip. With that chip, we will be able to trace where the pigs
come from. This would help us in case we find there is any bovine disease in
slaughter houses, we are able to trace that right away and also inform the
source. This is a safeguard for food safety in Hong Kong.
Reporter: (on testing of food for chemicals)
Dr Chow: We will be increasing our capacity for testing chemicals in food by
increasing the laboratory capacity of the Hong Kong Government Laboratory. We
will be able to set up a special section as well, which would include an
improvement in manpower and other equipment.
Reporter: Are there any regulations regulating such activities (colon
hydrotherapy)?
Dr Chow: All I know is colonic washout is used for people who need to have an
endoscopy, not on a regular basis. If it is used on a therapeutic basis, there
is absolutely no scientific ground. If it is going to cause danger to the public
and also mislead the public, then we will have to consider whether we need to
legislate.
(Please also refer to the
Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, October 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:07
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