CFS reminds trade to observe orders and preventive measures on Taiwan edible oil

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 7) reminded the trade that the preventive measures taken by the Centre in response to the substandard lard incident in Taiwan last year, including the issuance of three Food Safety Orders and a directive on a total ban on the import into and sale within Hong Kong of all edible oil produced in Taiwan, are still in force.

A spokesman for the CFS said that upon receiving a complaint on the import into Hong Kong of sesame oil manufactured in Taiwan, the CFS has liaised with the importer concerned, PrizeMart Limited, to follow up on the incident, and urges the trade to observe the directive and not to sell the product concerned.

Details of the products are as follows:

(1) Product name: Evergreen Black Sesame Oil
Place of origin: Taiwan
Manufacturer: Charng-Ching Edible Oil Co Ltd
Expiry date: May 14, 2017
Net weight: 217 millilitres (ml) per bottle

(2) Product name: Evergreen Pure Sesame Oil
Place of origin: Taiwan
Manufacturer: Charng-Ching Edible Oil Co Ltd
Expiry date: May 14, 2017
Net weight: 217 ml per bottle

"According to the information provided by the importer, the import quantities of the affected Evergreen Black Sesame Oil and Pure Sesame Oil were 3120 bottles and 1920 bottles respectively. Of which, 1097 bottles of black sesame oil and 731 bottles of pure sesame oil have been sold to its retail outlets while the remaining stock are stored in the importer's warehouse," a CFS spokesman said.

The spokesman said, "The products in question do not belong to the food items not allowed to be supplied in Hong Kong under the Food Safety Orders, however they are the oil products prohibited to be imported into and sale within Hong Kong under an executive directive which is still in force. Therefore, the trade should follow the instruction of the CFS and stop selling and using the products immediately. The importer concerned has voluntarily stopped the sale and recalled the affected products from its retail outlets, and isolated the remaining stocks."

The spokesman said the Centre has been keeping close contact with the Taiwan authorities to follow up on the safety of edible oil produced by Taiwan. The Centre will adjust its food safety control measures as appropriate and make announcement accordingly.

The CFS will inform the Taiwan authorities and the local trade, closely follow up the incident and take appropriate actions to safeguard food safety and public health. Investigation is ongoing.


Ends/Friday, August 7, 2015
Issued at HKT 21:05