XN000022-1993-04-21 — Page 25

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1993

16

RESTAURANT OPERATORS ADVISED AGAINST DRAWING SEAWATER FOR USE IN FISH TANKS

THERE IS NO LEGISLATION TO REGULATE THE USE OF SEA WATER FOR KEEPING LIVE FISH IN RESTAURANTS OR BY FISHMONGERS IN THE MARKET PLACE WONG, AT PRESENT, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

LIVE

ΤΟ REPLYING

A QUESTION ON CONTAMINATED SEAFOOD BY THE HON STEVEN POON KWOK-LIM, MRS WONG SAID LIVE FISH, LIVE ANIMALS AND BIRDS AS WELL, WERE NOT DEFINED AS FOOD IN LAW.

"ONLY AFTER KILLING AND OTHER PROCESSING DOES IT BECOME FOOD INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION," SHE SAID.

"AT THAT POINT IN TIME, COMMON FOOD CONTROLS APPLY."

MRS

RESTAURANTS HYGIENE DEPARTMENTS.

POINTED WONG

OUT THAT THE KEEPING AND THE MARKET PLACE WAS RELEVANT TO ASPECT WHICH WAS LOOKED AFTER BY THE TWO

SAID SHE

IN

OF LIVE FISH THE ENVIRONMENTAL MUNICIPAL SERVICES

ΤΟ STEPS

ADVISE SEAWATER

THE DEPARTMENTS HAD TAKEN ACTIVE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT OPERATORS AND SEAFOOD SELLERS NOT TO DRAW FROM SUSPECTED SOURCES FOR USE IN FISH TANKS.

AGAINST

A CODE OF PRACTICE ON SHELL FISH HYGIENE ΤΟ GUARD CONTAMINATION OF SHELL FISH IN WET STORAGE HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO FOOD HANDLERS.

DIVISION OF UNDER

TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY, MRS WONG SAID THE HYGIENE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OPERATED A FOOD SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMME WHICH FOOD SAMPLES, INCLUDING SEAFOOD, WERE TAKEN FROM VARIOUS

AND RETAIL WHOLESALE

OUTLETS AND POINTS OF

FOR IMPORT

EXAMINATION.

INCLUDE BACTERIOLOGICAL

TESTS THE

LABORATORY

TOTAL

FOR EXAMINATION BACTERIAL COUNT, FAECAL COLIFORM AND FOOD POISONING ORGANISMS, CHEMICAL ANALYSIS FOR HEAVY METALS, AND TOXICITY TEST FOR BIOTOXINS.

THE 18

THE OPERATION OF ANY FOOD BUSINESS IS ALSO GOVERNED BY PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES ORDINANCE AND AN OPERATOR REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A LICENCE FROM EITHER ONE OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS BEFORE HE CONDUCTS BUSINESS.

FURTHERMORE, PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE FOOD BUSINESS ARE REQUIRED UNDER THE FOOD BUSINESS (URBAN COUNCIL) BY-LAWS AND THE FOOD BUSINESS THE (REGIONAL COUNCIL) BY-LAWS TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS TO PROTECT FOOD FROM RISK OF CONTAMINATION.

SALE FOR

UNDER THE TWO BY-LAWS, COLLECTION OF SHELL FISH FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN THE WATERS OF VICTORIA HARBOUR, ABERDEEN HARBOUR, KWAI CHUNG AND TSUEN WAN BAYS ARE PROHIBITED.

HOWEVER, MRS WONG ADVISED THAT GOOD PERSONAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOOD BEFORE FOOD HYGIENE, SUCH AS THOROUGH CLEANSING AND COOKING OF

TESTS ON CONSUMPTION, WAS NO LESS IMPORTANT THAN CARRYING OUT SAMPLE FOOD IN ENSURING FOOD SAFETY.

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