WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1985
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ADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR DRINKING PUBLIC
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WITH THE PROMPT ACTION AND WARNING BY THE CUSTOMS SERVICE AND THE WIDE PUBLICITY GIVEN, THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FROM ADULTERATED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, THE HON E.P. HO, SAID TODAY.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON K.C. CHAN AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR HO SAID: ANY PERSON WHO IMPORTS, DISTILS, MAKES, MANUFACTURES, SELLS, EXPOSES FOR SALE OR HAS IN HIS POSSESSION FOR SALE, SUPPLIES OR DEALS IN ANY ADULTERATED LIQUOR — AND I AM ADVISED WINE CONTAMINATED WITH DIETHYLENE GLYCOL FALLS INTO THIS CATEGORY COMMITS AN OFFENCE UNDER SECTION 61 OF THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE AND IS LIABLE TO A FINE OF $100 000, IMPRISONMENT FOR TWO YEARS AND FORFEITURE OF SUCH STOCK.+
+ IT IS ALSO AN OFFENCE UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE TO SELL ANY FOOD, INCLUDING AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE, WHICH IS UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, HE ADDED.
MR HO SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE FOOD AND DRUG (COMPOSITION AND LABELLING) REGULATIONS DID NOT GENERALLY APPLY TO ALCOHOL IC BEVERAGES, THE AMENDMENT REGULATIONS MADE YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) IN THE EXÉCUTIVE COUNCIL INCLUDED A PROVISION THAT IF ANY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE WAS MARKED OR LABELLED WITH A LIST OF INGREDIENTS, IT SHOULD CONFORM IN ALL RESPECTS WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEW REGULATIONS.
FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY IN GERMANY OF THE TOXIC SUBSTANCE DIETHYLENE GLYCOL IN CERTAIN AUSTRIAN TABLE WINES THE CUSTOMS SERVICE IMMEDIATELY COLLECTED SAMPLES OF ALL AVAILABLE BRANDS OF SUCH WINES FOR TESTING, A HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVEN SAMPLES HAD SO FAR BEEN COLLECTED AND SENT TO THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY. TESTS ON 104 SAMPLES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, 16 OF WHICH HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED TO CONTAIN DIETHYLENE GLYCOL.
IN THE LIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT CHEMIST'S TESTS, THE CUSTOMS SERVICE PUBLICISED THE NAMES OF THOSE BRANDS FOUND TO CONTAIN THE TOXIC SUBSTANCE AND WARNED THE PUBLIC OF THE DANGER TO HEALTH OF DRINKING THESE ADULTERATED WINES,
+THE TRADE HAS COOPERATED FULLY AND UP TILL TODAY, 1 674 BOTTLES OF SUSPECT AUSTRIAN WINES HAVE BEEN SURRENDERED FOR FORFEITURE, MR HO SAID.
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