The affected product has not entered the market
Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced that an imported crab sample from the Philippines was detected with cadmium, a metallic contaminant, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the incident.
“After an earlier announcement that a crab sample collected at the import level under its routine Food Surveillance Programme was detected with excessive cadmium when following up on the case, the CFS further collected the above-mentioned crab sample at the import level for testing. The test result showed that the sample contained cadmium at a level of 5 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 2 ppm,” the spokesman said.
“Long-term excessive intake of cadmium may affect the kidney functions. The CFS has informed the importer concerned of the irregularity and is also tracing the source of the product concerned. The affected product has not entered the market. Should there be sufficient evidence, the prosecution will be instituted,” the spokesman added.
According to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap. 132V), any person who sells food with metallic contamination above the legal limit is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.
The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.
