Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ2: Controlling import of beef to prevent mad-cow disease
Following is a question by the Hon Tommy Cheung and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (May 5)
Question:
Regarding the import of beef from countries which have reported cases of cattle being infected with the mad-cow disease, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the existing control over the import of beef from countries which have reported cases of cattle being infected with the mad-cow disease;
(b) of the countries from which the import of beef has been banned in the past five years as well as the relevant dates at which the ban was imposed or lifted, and the countries from which the import of beef has now resumed, together with the respective dates of resumption and the special quarantine requirements that importers have to observe; and
(c) given that beef import from Japan has been banned in Hong Kong since September 2001 following the discovery of cases of cattle in farms in Japan being infected with the mad-cow disease, whether it knows which countries are still banning the import of Japanese beef?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) Under the Imported Game, Meat and Poultry Regulations of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), it is specified that each consignment of imported beef must be accompanied by an official health certificate stating that the meat is fit for human consumption. The same regulations provide that the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene can specify the health requirements to be included in the health certificate. On the control of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) (also known as "mad cow disease"), special health attestation is required for countries with BSE, taking reference from recommendations by international authorities including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The principle is that the BSE agent should be prevented from entering the human food chain. OIE provides recommendations on health assurance for imported beef and beef products, depending on the assessment of the BSE status of the cattle population of a country or zone. Criteria to be considered include risk assessment for identifying all potential factors for BSE occurrence (e.g. use of meat-and-bone meal), BSE surveillance and monitoring system, reporting and investigation of suspected cattle, and incidence of BSE. High risk parts which are defined as Specified Risk Materials, e.g. brain, eyes, tonsils, spinal cord and entire intestine, etc. should be prevented from human consumption. Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will consider the risk status of the cattle population of the import country according to OIE recommendations and impose appropriate sanitary requirements on the beef from these countries to ensure public health.
(b) In March 1996, importation of beef from the United Kingdom (UK) was suspended pursuant to the first report of Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the UK and its possible relationship with BSE in cattle. The UK and the European Commission subsequently implemented a series of control measures in line with OIE recommendations to prevent and control BSE in their cattle and to ensure the safety of beef. As a result, the import suspension was lifted in September 1999. Importation of beef from Japan, Canada and the United States (US) was suspended in September 2001, May 2003 and December 2003 respectively due to the report of first BSE cases in these countries. The relevant authorities of these countries have been discussing with the FEHD on the control and management measures that they have implemented. FEHD will assess whether the measures being taken are in compliance with the OIE requirements. Up till now, the importation of beef from these three countries has not been resumed.
(c) According to the Consulate General of Japan in Hong Kong, as at April 28, 2004, apart from Mainland China and Hong Kong, there were 13 other countries/regions, namely United States, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Saudi-Arabia, Oman, Northern Mariana Islands, Taiwan and Macau, which were still suspending the importation of beef from Japan.
Ends/Wednesday, May 5, 2004
NNNN