Press Releases
SFH on incidents relating to melamine in milk powder and milk products
Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and
Health, Dr York Chow, and the Controller of Centre for Food Safety, Dr Constance
Chan, at a media session after the briefing for legislators and
legislators-elect on the incidents relating to melamine in milk powder and milk
products:
Secretary for Food and Health: Today, we made a briefing on the food safety
incidents on milk products to the legislators and the newly elected legislators.
We also want to assure the public what we are doing and what we have been doing.
For the last week, we have held meetings with the mainland authorities. We have
also been assured that the right information is being given to us regarding the
origin of the tainted milk. We work very hard looking at the market in Hong Kong
to ensure the suppliers of the milk powder, milk products and creamery products
are safe for consumption. The Centre for Food Safety will announce everyday the
test results and so far if we found any results that are suspicious or contain
melamine, then we will order the products to be taken away from the shelves and
no longer in the market. So far, the trade has been very supportive and also
cooperative in this aspect. We have also increased the surveillance of any baby
who might have any health effect after consuming milk powder. The Hospital
Authority also has a system now on to check any suspected babies. So far we have
not discovered any babies that actually have any health effect. We hope that in
the next two or three weeks, we will be more certain about whether any Hong Kong
babies are being affected.
Controller of Centre for Food Safety: So far, we have taken about 130 plus
samples and the results of 106 are ready. Apart from the nine samples which have
been detected containing melamine, which the results have already been announced
earlier, today's results come back, 36 samples from the Mengniu brand are
detected free from melamine. They are also 10 other brands of various products
with ingredients made from milk products from China are also detected not to
have melamine. We are aware that parents are very anxious to know whether the
infants are safe in Hong Kong. We know the fact that all the infant formulae in
Hong Kong are made from ingredients from overseas, and not from Mainland China.
Nevertheless, we want to reassure parents that we have taken samples of about 30
brands of infant formulae for analysis. The results are expected to be back by
Sunday. By then, we hope that the results will be announced and we will reassure
parents.
Reporter: What should parents do when feeding babies with milk powder?
Controller of Centre for Food Safety: As I've said, all the infant formulae in
Hong Kong are in fact made from ingredients imported overseas. It is only as a
precautionary measure that we take samples for analysis. That is a precautionary
measure. We can tell parents that infant formula in Hong Kong is very safe.
Reporter: As soon as you know there is a problem, why not just shut off the
import?
Secretary for Food and Health: As you know that, there are quite a large
percentage of products in Hong Kong that are supplied by the Mainland. For
example, in those of ice-cream or so on, the mainland suppliers account for more
than 50 per cent of the Hong Kong market. You know, Mainland is sort of a big
country. We have to know what products are being affected and what are not.
Initially, we thought that the problem is with the baby formula. So, we
concentrate on the first three days on testing baby formula. Later on, we also
extended our tests to other products. We have done our own testing on the
products in the market. As I've said earlier on, the Centre for Food Safety will
be able to complete all the testing in the next few days.
Reporter: Are you trying to protect the mainland food industry or protecting
Hong Kong people?
Secretary for Food and Health: The thing is the main health hazard actually is
babies initially. That is why we concentrate on the baby formula in the first
days. Then, we look at whether such substances will be transmitted through other
milk related products, that is why we go into ice-cream, ice lolly and yoghurt
and so on. We would not like to have any substance in our foodstuffs in all
these products. That is the reason why we have to test all of that. We have to
test them as far as we can. We also announce the results as soon as possible. At
the same time, we are also monitoring the testing done by the Mainland to see
which companies are affected, which product lines are affected and whether the
same batch of products will be shipped to Hong Kong or whether they have related
products in Hong Kong.
Reporter: (legislative amendment)
Secretary for Food and Health: Melamine should not be in food at all and it
should not actually be a natural ingredient or added ingredient of food. So, we
do not tolerate any melamine in our food. This is the same reason we look at the
regulation before we introduce it.
Reporter: (local circumstances)
Secretary for Food and Health: Our standard for melamine in food is zero. But
when you look at the guidelines in European Union on food safety, they also
added a certain clause on migratory elements because sometimes the utensils used
to contain food might contaminate the food. So, this is something we need to
look at whether it will affect our regulation.
Reporter: (inaudible)
Secretary for Food and Health: We should not have melamine in our food. As far
as the food itself, we most likely would say zero be the only standard.
Reporter: (inaudible)
Secretary for Food and Health: It is the food utensils and package and so on
that might contaminate the food. If that is the case, there is a certain limit
that is set by the European Union.
Reporter: How safe is it right now for Hong Kong consumers to ...
Secretary for Food and Health: First of all, it is very safe for baby formula.
All the parents and babies should be reassured that the baby formula in Hong
Kong is safe for consumption. Although we will be testing some of the other
brands that are not from the Mainland, it is just to complete the picture. The
other milk-related products, as far as those we have tested and also tested
negative for melamine, I think they are also safe for consumption. And those we
have not tested, we should be able to complete the tests in the next few days,
by then we can complete the whole picture on the food products in Hong Kong.
This is something to reassure the public that it is safe to consume those we
have tested negative. If you have been consuming certain products that are not
tested yet, you can wait until the next few days.
Reporter: Where can people find out what you have tested and what you haven't?
Secretary for Food and Health: All the information are available in the Centre
for Food Safety website. We also give the information to the media every day.
Reporter: You will be introducing legislation. What is the penalty?
Secretary for Food and Health: We plan to consult the Legco Panel on Food Safety
and Environmental Hygiene on the Food Safety Bill next year. We will consult the
trade and the public at the same time. The law will most likely be introduced in
the legislative year of 2009/2010. Hopefully, we will be able to enforce it as
soon as possible.
Reporter: Why so long?
Secretary for Food and Health: I am talking about the food safety law. The one
on melamine is a regulation which will perhaps be able to be introduced in the
next two or three weeks.
Reporter: (about the regulation and the food safety law)
Secretary for Food and Health: The food safety law is a big law. It is actually
related to the whole tracing system of food in future. That will be introduced,
as I said earlier, in a year's time. As far as the regulation for control of
melamine, we will try to do it within next few weeks.
Reporter: (about amending the law)
Secretary for Food and Health: We don't need to amend that law because the
regulation is a schedule of banned substances in food.
Reporter: What is the difference with the law?
Secretary for Food and Health: The food safety law covers a much wider
prospective, and one of it is to improve our tracing and registration system of
the food traders.
(Please also refer to the
Chinese session of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, September 19, 2008
Issued at HKT 21:08
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