TNAG-1732-FCO40-2445-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 142

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MR. CHEONG-LEEN : Sir, in the media

media campaign concerning

polluted shellfish, to what extent can the public be

assured that if such polluted shellfish should be properly

cooked, it would be safe to consume? Could an explanation

be given as to the form the compulsory artificial

purification of local shellfish will take place? Will

that be done in the harbour, or after collection? And how

can it be done after collection when it is illegal to do

so?

SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE : Sir, as far as making

shellfish safe by cooking it, I am advised that the

correct procedure would be to immerse the shellfish in

boiling water for one minute or steaming for about one and

a half minutes to raise the internal temperature to about

85 to 90 degrees celsius; and then to keep the shellfish

at this temperature for another minute and this would then

completely kill Hepatitis-A viruses, and the pathogenic

bacteria which are less

less resistant would almost certainly

have expired by that time.