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Hong Kong Samples for Dioxin in German Imports

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

Hong Kong ceased testing all German food products for dioxin, switching Feb. 1 to sample checks after more than 100 tests for the chemical were negative.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for the special administrative district that governs Hong Kong reported Jan. 26 on a batch of 17 samples that went through dioxin testing at its Center for Food Safety. Ten samples were for pork and seven for pork products; all were free of dioxin contamination.
"The measure to hold and examine imported German eggs, poultry and poultry products as well as pork and pork products will remain in place," a department spokesman said. "We will continue liaison with the German authorities and the European Commission, and monitor the latest developments closely." 
Due to the detection of dioxins in Germany in early January in some eggs, poultry and pork produced in the country, samples of imported German food products were being collected from both local Hong Kong markets and from importers to test for dioxins.
Then on Jan. 31, the department said 33 more imported samples of German food products were tested without turning a positive result, and bring the total number of tests from importers to 66.
The latest batch of tested samples, made up of two samples of poultry and poultry products and 31 samples of pork and pork products, were collected at the import level. 
Since January 10, the CFS has been conducting dioxin tests on a total of 111 samples of German foods. ?
?"Dioxin test results so far have confirmed that all the samples were satisfactory, the spokesman said. "In addition, since the incident was reported, the German authority has banned potentially contaminated farm products from export and from release to the market. They have also reaffirmed that the affected products have not been exported to Hong Kong." ??
"In view of these developments, the CFS decided, beginning Feb. 1 to change its 'hold and examine' measure to conducting sample checks on incoming consignments of German eggs, poultry and poultry products as well as pork and pork products for testing of dioxins."?
The CFS will continue to work with the German authorities and the European Commission, and monitor the situation, the spokesman added. ?

Full post as published by Food Safety News on February 07, 2011 (boomark / email).