Hubei eggs fail melamine test

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has found the melamine content (3.1 ppm) in another batch of eggs imported from Hubei province exceeding the legal limit (2.5 ppm).

The sample was taken from an importer at the Western Wholesale Food Market. The eggs were processed by a company in Jingzhou, Hubei province, on Oct 6 this year with a batch number 4200/D0700708451.

The CFS said it had issued a letter of warning to the importer and demanded the sale of such eggs be suspended immediately.

Ma Wan Park, Deep Bay Link win green prize

Ma Wan Park's Nature Garden and Deep Bay Link have won Grand Awards of Excellence in the Best Landscape Award 2008. The Leisure & Cultural Services Department presented the awards at a ceremony yesterday.

Sixteen gold awards and 24 merit awards were also given to commend organizations for their greening efforts.

The contest improves the living environment of private properties and promotes excellence in the greening of public projects through outstanding landscape design and horticultural maintenance.

Rice retail prices rise quicker than import prices

Government figures show retail prices of Thai rice at supermarkets over the past year have increased by 52 percent, while the import prices have only risen by 44.3 percent. And despite a 3.3 percent drop in import prices in September, the retail prices of Thai rice at supermarkets rose by 0.4 percent. The Commerce and Economic Development said it has been monitoring the supply and prices of rice in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the government has given more funds to the Consumer Council to conduct price surveys on food since May.

Nine arrested for selling counterfeit clothes

Customs officers have arrested nine people for selling counterfeit clothes in Kowloon City.

They raided six shops on Lion Rock Road Tuesday and seized 12,000 pieces of counterfeit clothing worth HK$1.4 million.

The fakes were claimed to be out-of-season goods supposedly for export, substandard goods or samples when offered for sale.

A man and eight women, aged 36 to 54, including four people-in-charge and five shop assistants were arrested.

Hairy crabs pass safety tests

Sixty-nine samples of hairy crabs collected recently at import, wholesale and retail levels for chemical and microbiological tests were all found to be satisfactory, the Centre for Food Safety said yesterday.

Despite the satisfactory results, the center urged consumers to observe food safety standards in purchasing, storing, preparing and cooking hairy crabs to prevent food-borne illnesses while enjoying the seasonal delicacy.

China Daily

(HK Edition 10/30/2008 page1)