Centre for Food Safety (CFS)

Prepackaged fried swordfish floss

Product name: Fried Swordfish Floss
Brand: T HAM
Place of origin: Taiwan
Net weight: 160 gram per tin
Best before date : January 9, 2018

• The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample of fried swordfish floss from a supermarket in Tsim Sha Tsui for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that it contained mercury at a level of 0.93 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 0.5 ppm.
• Mercury may affect the nervous system, particularly the developing brain. At high levels, mercury can affect foetal brain development, and affect vision, hearing, muscle co-ordination and memory in adults.

• The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected batch of the product.
• The CFS is also tracing the source and distribution of the affected product.
• The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action.

• Stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if possessing it.

• If purchased and still possess the affected batch of the product, stop consuming it.
• Maintain a balanced and varied diet. To avoid health risks posed by excessive intake of metallic contaminants, pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children should avoid eating large or predatory fish (for example, tuna, alfonsino, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy and king mackerel).

The CFS press release