XN000022-1996-05-08 — Page 49

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Complaints on decayed food items

Following is a question by the Hon Albert Chan Wai-yip and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Recently, complaints have again been made by the public about contaminated paper-packed drinks. In view of the renewed public concern about the quality of food products, will the Government inform this Council:

Reply:

(a)

(b)

(c)

of the total number of complaints received by the Urban Services Department and Regional Services Department regarding contaminated food products in the past 12 months;

of the average time required by the authority concerned to complete a test on a food product suspected of contamination; and

whether measures will be taken by the authority concerned to ensure the timely completion of such tests and announce the test results at the earliest possible time?

From 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996, the Urban Services Department and the Regional Services Department received a total of 150 complaints about decayed food

items.

When the two municipal services departments receive a complaint from the public, the suspected food item is promptly sent to the laboratory of the Department of Health for bacteriological tests or the Government Laboratory for chemical tests, or to both laboratories. The time taken to complete the laboratory tests depends on the nature of the complaint and hence the type of tests to be undertaken. In most cases, results will be available in one to seven days' time.

The two laboratories have always given priority to conducting tests on samples of suspect food items. Public announcements are made if and when there is evidence of a public health risk.

End

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