Hong Kong will impose a ban on dairy products, vegetables and fruit from Japan's Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma and Fukushima Prefectures from noon tomorrow, after finding three food samples exceeding radiation limits.
Under Secretary for Food & Health Prof Gabriel Leung said the ban was ordered after a turnip, a white radish and a spinach sample arriving in two consignments from Japan today were confirmed to be irradiated by iodine 131 up to 10 times the international legal level.
He said the radiation dose on an adult consuming the products for a year would equal that of taking up to 10 chest x-rays.
Director of Food & Environmental Hygiene Clement Leung said the order to ban dairy products, vegetables and fruit harvested or produced in the five prefectures from March 11 will be gazetted tomorrow and effective until further notice.
He said the department is now working with Japanese counterparts to trace the origin of the affected samples.
Meat, poultry and seafood from the five prefectures will be banned from Hong Kong unless they are certified and verified to be safe by the Japanese government according to international standards.
Importers will be notified about the order. Those who violate it will face a year's jail and a $100,000 fine.
Prof Leung said the test results show the measures taken by the Government on imported Japanese products are effective. Authorities will continue enhancing radiation tests on Japanese food imports, including pre-packed and processed items.
