The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 21) instructed the trade to suspend the import of raw oysters produced by Earl Huitres Geay FR 17.452.121 CE in France. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately should they possess it.

     ​A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS was notified by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health of two food poisoning cases which involved consumption of raw oysters at two restaurants. The CFS conducted investigations at the restaurants concerned and found that the two restaurants in Tsim Sha Tsui and Sha Tin had sold raw oysters which had been produced by Earl Huitres Geay FR 17.452.121 CE in France. For the sake of prudence, the CFS has immediately instructed the trade to suspend the import into and sale within Hong Kong of all raw oysters produced by Earl Huitres Geay FR 17.452.121 CE in France.”

     ​The CFS has also instructed the supplier and restaurants concerned to stop supplying and selling the affected raw oysters immediately, and is tracing the distribution of the affected product. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately should they possess it.

     ​The spokesman pointed out that as oysters feed by filtering a large volume of seawater, pathogens can accumulate in them if they are grown in or harvested from contaminated water. Raw or partially cooked oysters are high-risk foods. Susceptible groups, such as pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems or liver diseases, should avoid eating raw oysters.

     ​The CFS will inform the French authorities and will also notify the local trade. It will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. An investigation is ongoing.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (January 13) instructed the trade to suspend the import of raw oysters harvested in area 56.09.3 Rivière de Crac’h-Les Presses in France. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately should they possess it.

     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS received notifications from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission that ready-to-eat raw oysters harvested in area 56.09.3 Rivière de Crac’h-Les Presses in France were detected with norovirus and the area concerned was closed. Preliminary investigation by the CFS found that, a local importer, M&C Asia Limited, had imported the affected raw oysters. For the sake of prudence, the CFS has immediately suspended the import into and sale within Hong Kong of raw oysters harvested in the area concerned, and instructed the importer to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected oysters.”

     The spokesman said that preliminary investigation by the CFS found that 9.5 kilograms of the affected oysters had been imported by the importer concerned. Some were distributed to a restaurant and were consumed, while the remaining oysters were destroyed. The trade should also stop selling other products from the affected area if they possess them.

     The spokesman pointed out that as oysters feed by filtering a large volume of seawater, pathogens can accumulate in them if they are grown in or harvested from contaminated water. Raw or partially cooked oysters are high-risk foods. Susceptible groups, such as pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems or liver diseases, should avoid eating raw oysters.

     The CFS will inform the French authorities and will also notify the local trade. It will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. An investigation is ongoing.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (January 4) instructed the trade to suspend the import of raw oysters harvested in Carlingford Lough (LH-CL-BN) in Ireland. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately should they possess it.

     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS was notified by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health of two food poisoning clusters which involved consumption of raw oysters at one restaurant in Mong Kok and one restaurant in Central. The CFS conducted investigations at the restaurants concerned and found that both restaurants had sold raw oysters which had been harvested in Carlingford Lough (LH-CL-BN) in Ireland. For the sake of prudence, the CFS has immediately instructed the trade to suspend the import into and sale within Hong Kong of all raw oysters harvested in Carlingford Lough (LH-CL-BN) in Ireland. “

     The CFS has also instructed the supplier and restaurants concerned to stop supplying and selling the affected raw oysters immediately, and is tracing the distribution of the affected product. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately should they possess it.

     The spokesman pointed out that as oysters feed by filtering a large volume of seawater, pathogens can accumulate in them if they are grown in or harvested from contaminated water. Raw or partially cooked oysters are high-risk foods. Susceptible groups, such as pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems or liver diseases, should avoid eating raw oysters.

     The CFS will inform the Irish authorities and will also notify the local trade. It will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. An investigation is ongoing.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (November 23) instructed the trade to suspend the import of ready-to-eat raw oysters harvested in Coffin Bay in Australia. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately should they possess them.

     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS noticed that Food Standards Australia New Zealand reported that ready-to-eat raw Pacific oysters harvested in Coffin Bay in Australia, which were suspected to be contaminated with Vibrio parahaemolyticus, were under recall. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately conducted investigation and contacted local major importers for follow-up. According to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions of the Government of South Australia, the Coffin Bay growing area includes four harvesting areas, namely the Port Douglas harvesting area, the Mt Dutton Bay harvesting area, the Kellidie Bay West harvesting area and the Kellidie Bay East harvesting area. The CFS has immediately instructed the trade to suspend the import into and sale within Hong Kong of all ready-to-eat raw oysters from the Coffin Bay growing area.

     Based on the information provided by the International Food Safety Authorities Network, the CFS’s preliminary investigation found that two importers – Worldwide Seafood Limited (hotline: 2911 4989) and Diligence Marine Products Limited (hotline: 6732 0690) – had imported the affected products to Hong Kong. The CFS has instructed the importers concerned to stop sale of, remove from shelves and recall the affected products, and is tracing the distribution of the products concerned. Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importers’ above-mentioned hotlines during office hours. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately should they possess them.

     The spokesman pointed out that as oysters feed by filtering a large volume of seawater, pathogens (such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus) can accumulate in them if they are grown in or harvested from contaminated water. Raw or partially cooked oysters are high-risk foods. Susceptible groups, such as pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems or liver diseases, should avoid eating them.

     The CFS will inform the Australian authorities and will also notify the local trade. It will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. Investigation is ongoing.