The Center for Food Safety of Hong Kong (CFS) said on Monday that half samples of lancelet collected from retail outlets contained formaldehyde.
According to a recent test by CFS, five out of the ten samples of lancelet taken contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from 170 to 570 ppm (part per million).
"We believe the formaldehyde was added as a preservative after the fish were caught, or during transportation or storage," a CFS spokesman said on Monday.
Under existing legislation of Hong Kong, formaldehyde is not permitted for use as a food preservative. Contravention of the law could lead to a maximum fine of 50,000 HK dollars and six months' imprisonment. The CFS called on the trade not to add formaldehyde into fish or other marine products.
"At the levels of formaldehyde detected in the lancelet samples, it is unlikely to cause adverse health effect upon normal consumption, but for the sample with highest detected level of formaldehyde, consumption on a long-term basis for high consumers could result in increased health risk, such as gastro-intestinal upset," the spokesman said.
"Regarding the unsatisfactory samples, the CFS has issued warning letters to the shop and stall operators concerned asking them to stop selling the affected products. We are tracing the source of the fish in question," the spokesman added.
Source: Xinhua
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