The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (October 4) urged the public not to consume a kind of chilled razor clams imported from Scotland due to possible contamination with lipophilic marine biotoxins. The trade should stop using or selling the product concerned if they possess it.
Details of the product are as follows:
Product name: Razor Clams
Brand: Lochleven Shellfish
Place of origin: Scotland
Importer: Longfine Seafood Trading Company Limited
A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS received a notification from the authorities concerned in Scotland through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) that the above-mentioned product might have been contaminated with lipophilic marine biotoxins. According to the information provided by INFOSAN, the affected product has been imported into Hong Kong. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted the local importer concerned for follow-up.”
A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported some of the affected product into Hong Kong. For the sake of prudence, the CFS has instructed the importer to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected batch of product and initiate a recall. Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer’s hotline at 2387 2388 during office hours.
“Lipophilic marine biotoxins are a group of fat-soluble shellfish poisoning toxins which may cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. In general, they are heat-stable and cannot be destroyed by cooking.” the spokesman said.
The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected product if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.
The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, continue to follow up and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.
