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Malachite green makes HK gov't strengthen food safety The Hong Kong government has taken active measures to guard the food safety of Hong Kong as worries intensified after malachite green, a cancer-causing chemical, was found in freshwater fish in local markets. At the same time, the health authorities warned people to eat freshwater fish with caution when big head, grass carp, edible goldfish, freshwater grouper and common carp were found malachite green positive, after eel and eel products were found contaminated last Wednesday. The chemical was used to treat fungal infections at fish farms and has been banned in the Chinese mainland since 2002 because the toxin of it may lead to cancer. Malachite green was not put as banned substance before. Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food of Hong Kong York Chow Yat-ngok told a press conference Monday morning that the authorities will ban the chemical by amending the food regulation. York Chow said that fish and fish products would be listed as food items under regular inspection. A spokesman from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department assured the public: "We will take follow-up action and the products in question will be disposed of." The government said that because of the possible community concern about the presence of malachite green in freshwater fish, an interdepartmental working group has decided to take more samples to assess the situation more accurately. The measures the group would take include speeding up samples tests, announcing the results as soon as possible, amending the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations and explaining the latest situation to trade representatives. York Chow said, "The Chinese mainland authorities immediately tightened up its inspections after being informed by the Hong Kong government of the test results." He pointed out that to strengthen communication with the Chinese mainland, particularly the adjacent provinces, was important since much of the food supplies of Hong Kong came from the Chinese mainland. Local fish farmers said their ability was very limited and could not meet the demands of the markets, though they promised to increase the supply. Some fish retailers began to sell their stocks Monday. Freshwater fish and eel have disappeared in supermarkets such as ParknShop, Welcome and Sogo. Some customers said they won't eat freshwater fish until it proved to be
safe, while some said they believe the fish in the markets are safe since the
government has reinforced its inspections. They said they all hoped the measures
to strengthen food safety could make them feel comfortable about their meal.
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