Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ5: Imported fruit samples for testing

    Following is a question by the Hon Fred Li and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (June 28):

Question:

     In reply to my question two weeks ago, the Government said that in the past three years, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) took 477 fruit samples for tests on pesticide residues, and one papaya sample was found to contain methamidophos.  The authorities also said that the number of fruit samples taken for tests was limited because fruits were not considered to be at high risk.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the respective numbers of imported fruit samples taken by FEHD at entry points, wholesale and retail levels for tests in each of the past three years;

(b) whether the authorities have successfully traced the source of the papaya sample found to contain methamidophos and made arrangements for recalling the papayas in questions; and whether the authorities will consider establishing a tracking and recall system for imported fruits; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(b) of the rationale and basis for the authorities' statement that fruits not at high risk, and how the authorities can, by acting in accordance with such rationale and basis, ensure that foods consumed by the public are safe?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has collected about 480 samples of imported fruits at entry points, wholesale and retail levels for tests on pesticide residues over the past three years. The breakdown is as follows:

Year                         2003  2004  2005
Entry Points                  65   78    102
Retail and Wholesale    58   75     99
Total                            123   153   201


(b) According to our record, the papaya being tested positive for methamidophos was imported from Malaysia.  On being informed of the test results, the person-in-charge had immediately stopped sourcing papaya from the same place in Malaysia and turned to other supplying places for papayas.  No methamidophos was found after further tests on samples taken from the newly imported papaya of the primary distribution agent.  Fruits are not considered to be at high risk.  Indeed our records showed that fruits have a high passing rate in test results.  Moreover, fruits are imported from a wide range of sources.  Therefore, the Administration has no plan to set up a tracking system for imported fruits.

(c) Generally, we will consider various factors in evaluating the risk potential of a food item, such as its characteristics, intake amount, nature of the hazard and its susceptibility to rapid proliferation of pathogens, etc.  Furthermore, we will also make reference to food poisoning reports and data of the Food Surveillance Programme in evaluating the risk potential of a food item.  A food item that rarely causes food poisoning would be at relatively low risk.  Generally, fruits are protected by their rind and have relatively high acidity with little protein.  Therefore, fruits that are intact do not provide favorable conditions for rapid proliferation of pathogens.  For the above reasons, fruits are not considered to be high-risk food.
 

Ends/Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:27

NNNN