MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 1982
KEEPING AN EYE ON FOOD THAT'S SOLD
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THE MAIN AIM OF FOOD CONTROL IN HONG KONG IS TO STOP THE SALE OF UNSOUND FOOD FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC, RATHER THAN TO PROSECUTE FOOD TRADERS CAUGHT WITH IT.
THIS WAS SAID BY A SPOKESMAN FOR THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S FOOD SECTION, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT FOOD SUPPLIES, IMPORTED OR LOCALLY PRODUCED, COMPLY WITH THE STATUTORY HEALTH REQUIREMENTS,
LAST YEAR FOOD INSPECTORS CARRIED OUT 3 502 SAMPLE INSPECTIONS AND 2 905 LABORATORY TESTS ON IMPORTED FOOD, AS WELL AS ON CERTAIN FOODS FOR EXPORT, BEFORE RELEASING THEM FOR SALE. MORE THAN 90 TONNES OF FOOD FOUND TO BE UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION WAS DESTROYED.
FOOD ITEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN EXAMINED BEFORE DISTRIBUTION OR AT THE IMPORT STAGE ARE CHECKED AT RETAIL OUTLETS - BAKERIES, CANTEENS, COOKED FOOD STALLS, FOOD FACTORIES, MARKET STALLS SUPERMARKETS, RESTAURANTS, AND EVEN HOTELS AND REFUGEE CAMPS.
+FOOD INSPECTORS CALL ON THESE ESTABLISHMENTS WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE TO INSPECT FOOD ITEMS AND TAKE SAMPLES FOR MONITORING PURPOSES, THE ASSISTANT STAFF OFFICER OF THE FOOD SECTION, M YUNG CHING HIN, SAID.
+WHEN THE FOOD IS FOUND TO BE UNSOUND, MOST OWNERS ARE WILLING TO SURRENDER IT FOR DESTRUCTION AT OUR REQUEST, MR YUNG NOTED.
LAST YEAR, 172 CASES OF FOOD POISONING INVOLVING 664 PEOPLE WERE REPORTED IN HONG KONG, NOT ONE CASE WAS FATAL.
ONE MAJOR CAUSE OF FOOD POISONING IS SALMONELLA, THE TYPE OF BACTERIA RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST CASES OF FOOD POISONING HERE, WHICH COULD DEVELOP IN FOOD NOT PROPERLY HANDLED OR STORED.
+THE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF SALMONELLA FOOD POISONING ARE ABDOMINAL PAIN, DIARRHOEA, CHILLS, FEVER AND VOMITING,+ MR YUNG SAID.
+SINCE FOOD SUPPLIES ARE MOSTLY FROM ABROAD, THE CONTROL OF IMPORTED FOOD BEFORE THEIR RELEASE FOR SALE IS THE FIRST STEP TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY, THE STAFF OFFICER (FOODS), MR LEE KAM SHING, POINTED OUT.
SUPPLYING COUNTRIES ARE REQUIRED TO PRODUCE, HARVEST, AND PROCESS FOOD IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRACTICES AND STANDARDS RECOMMENDED BY SUCH INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES AS THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANISATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION.
CONS IGNMENTS OF MEAT AND POULTRY ENTERING HONG KONG MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY OFFICIAL HEALTH CERTIFICATES ISSUED BY THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY IN THE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN.
+EVEN SO FOOD INSPECTORS VISIT COLD STORAGES, WAREHOUSES, CARGO TERMINALS AND CONTAINER TERMINALS TO CONDUCT EXAMINATIONS AND TAKE SAMPLES, HE SAID.
/SOME SCHROEN