Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ17:Quality of cooking oils monitored under surveillance programme

Following is question by the Hon.Fred Li Wah-ming and a writen reply by the Secretary for the Environment and Food,Mrs Lily Yam, in the Legislative Council meeting today (May 22):

Question

It has been reported that according to a report published by the Swedish National Food Administration (SNFA), a substance known as acrylamide will be formed when carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs are heated at high temperature, and long-term consumption of foodstuffs containing such substance may cause cancer. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether it has studied the report; if it has, of the conclusion that it has on the report;

(b) whether it will consider following the example of the Swedish authority and employ the method utilising liquid chromatography coupled to two-stage mass spectrometry or other existing methods, such as gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, to test the concentration of the acrylamide formed when carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs are heated at high temperature; if not, of the reason for that;

(c) whether it has conducted other similar studies to find out if carcinogenic organic compounds or organometallic compounds will be formed when foodstuffs are prepared at high temperature; and

(d) to safeguard public health, whether it will consider formulating guidelines for food premises on preventing the formation of harmful or carcinogenic substances during the preparation of food at high temperature, and strengthening the control of the quality of cooking oils used for frying and metallic cookers used for prolonged cooking or frying at food premises; if not, of the reason for that?

Answer:

(a) & (b) Acrylamide is a substance which may cause cancer in animals. However, up to now, there is still no clear evidence that acrylamide can cause cancer in humans. The Swedish National Food Administration (SNFA) has only released the preliminary findings but not the detailed report of the survey. The preliminary findings reveal that varying concentrations of acrylamide will be formed when carbohydrate-rich food is processed at high temperature by methods such as frying, deep-frying, and baking. Both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and SNFA have pointed out that this survey is the first one which has found acrylamide in food. As the data collected in the study are not sufficient to enable a comprehensive analysis on the subject of acrylamide in food to be conducted, SNFA will conduct further surveys on this subject.

A WHO expert group will meet by the end of June this year to examine the possible public health risks of acrylamide in food. The scope of the study will include the possible effects of dietary intake of acrylamide on human health and the relationship between food processing and acrylamide concentration in food. The conclusions will facilitate WHO to decide the direction of future studies and to make recommendations. We will pay close attention to the latest developments of the subject and take appropriate follow-up actions, including considering whether it is necessary to test acrylamide concentration in food and, if so, which testing methods are to be employed. So far, WHO has not changed its recommendation on basic food consumption habits in response to the preliminary findings of the above survey.

(c) The survey on the formation of acrylamide in carbohydrate-rich foodstuffs heated at high temperature conducted by SNFA is the first of its kind in the world. There have not been similar studies conducted in other countries or in Hong Kong.

(d) We have produced leaflets to explain the changes in cooking oils upon prolonged cooking and the hazards that may arise from such changes. The leaflets also provide guidelines on the good practices in food production to be observed by the food industry to minimise these hazards. In addition, the quality of cooking oils is monitored under the food surveillance programme. We conduct regular sampling and tests of cooking oils used in food premises and food factories. The contents of degradation products and polymerised materials in cooking oils are also examined to ensure that these oils are suitable for cooking and safe for human consumption. In case any food is found to be unsuitable for human consumption, we will take appropriate action, including prosecution of the persons selling the food, regardless of whether the cause is poor quality of the cooking utensils or of the cooking oils. In 2000 and 2001, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department had taken more than 300 cooking oil samples for testing. All the samples were found to be suitable for cooking purposes.

Wednesday, May 22, 2002