Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ10: Melamine tests on eggs

Following is a question by the Hon Fred Li and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (November 19):

Question:

It has been reported that after learning that the egg powder produced by the Dalian Hanovo Foods Co. Ltd. on the Mainland had been found to contain melamine in Japan, an egg importer had reserved on October 18 a carton of eggs for testing by the authorities. However, it was not until 10 days later did the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) send its staff to collect egg samples from the importer's shop for testing. The test results released the following day showed that the egg samples in question contained melamine, but that consignment of eggs had already been put on the market. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) why CFS did not immediately send its staff to collect the egg samples from the shop concerned for testing;
(b) whether measures will be introduced to ensure that eggs will not be put on the market before they are confirmed to be melamine-free; and
(c) as the authorities concerned have indicated that they would discuss with the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine the proposal that the eggs supplied to Hong Kong must be accompanied by a melamine-free certificate, of the progress of their discussions?

Reply:

President,

(a) The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has actively collected samples of different food items (including eggs) at various levels for testing, including the import, distribution, manufacturing and retail levels, since the occurrence of the melamine incident. As at November 17, 2008, 4,275 samples have been tested, among which 39 were found to contain melamine above the legal limit. On October 24, the CFS began to collect samples of eggs imported from the Mainland and other places for testing. Since then, a total of 269 samples have been tested, among which three were found with unsatisfactory test results.

The CFS received media enquiries on October 30, on whether the CFS had delayed collecting samples of eggs reserved by an egg trader for testing. The CFS issued a press release on the same day to respond on the matter. The press release stated that CFS staff went to the Western Wholesale Food Market on their own accord on October 28, to collect egg samples, including those from the egg trader concerned, for testing. Announcement of unsatisfactory result of testing was promptly made on the following day (October 29). Before that, the egg trader concerned had not contacted CFS staff nor made any requests to the CFS by any means or in any way for tests to be conducted on its eggs. It must be stated that the food industry has an inherent responsibility to ensure food safety. Should food traders have doubts on the safety of any specific food item, they should take effective measures by contacting their suppliers to get further information about any problem which might have occurred to the food item concerned at source, and avoid purchasing food items with doubtful quality to minimise unnecessary business loss.

(b) The Expert Group on Melamine Incident appointed by the Government in early October recommended that the scope of the samples collected for testing in the second phase of the testing programme be extended to cover raw materials of food, meat and vegetables.

Hence, the CFS began taking samples of various raw materials of food (including eggs) at import, wholesale and retail levels for testing in late October. When test results indicated that egg samples contained excessive amount of melamine, the CFS would make public announcement and take follow-up action which included source tracing and detaining consignments of products from the egg farms and processing plants concerned. The eggs would be released only upon satisfactory test results. Meanwhile, the CFS would inform the Mainland authorities concerned to take follow-up action and suspend the export of products from the egg farms concerned and their processing plants.

The CFS has completed testing of the stock of eggs from the Mainland kept by operators in the two wholesale food markets as well as by importers. The CFS will continue to collect samples of eggs imported from the Mainland at import level for testing.

(c) The Government is having active discussions with relevant Mainland authorities to study measures to strengthen the safety of eggs supplied to Hong Kong, including stating on the health certificates that the melamine level is in compliance with Hong Kong laws. The Mainland authorities concerned are now studying the feasibility of this measure.


Ends/Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:53

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