CFS follows up on safety of food products supplied to Hong Kong after explosions in Tianjin

Regarding the explosions in Tianjin, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has been maintaining close contact with the Mainland authorities and proactively following up on the safety of food supplied to Hong Kong.

According to the information of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, there are seven registered vegetables farms, one registered edible aquatic animal farm and one registered live cattle farm in Tianjin which are eligible to supply food products to Hong Kong. Further information from the authorities shows that Tianjin does not supply pears or any other fruits to Hong Kong. The city only supplies Chinese white cabbage and radish to Hong Kong in winter, and the last supply of vegetables to Hong Kong from areas under Tianjin was January this year. Meanwhile, no live edible aquatic animal from the aforementioned farm was exported to Hong Kong since early this year.

A spokesman for the CFS said, "To allay public concerns and for the sake of prudence, the CFS will take samples of food products from areas around Tianjin, as well as the same kind of food products which had been supplied to Hong Kong from that city before, including vegetables, fruits and edible aquatic animals for tests."

The spokesman noted that the CFS has been keeping close working relationships with the relevant Mainland authorities. In case any incident that may pose a potential risk to food supplied to Hong Kong occurs, the authorities will notify the CFS immediately, and stop exporting food products from affected farms or plants to Hong Kong. The CFS will closely monitor the latest development of the incident, maintain close contact with the Mainland authorities to obtain information on food for supplying to Hong Kong, and take appropriate action.

Ends/Tuesday, August 18, 2015