The Centre for Food Safety found excessive pesticide residues in two vegetable samples today and will prosecute the vendors concerned.
The samples were white string pods from two retailers in Yau Ma Tei and Sha Tin. One was found to contain 4.3 parts per million (ppm) of Acephate, 0.36ppm of Carbofuran and 0.34ppm of Methamidophos. The other sample was found to contain Carbofuran at a level of 0.17ppm.
The vegetables were imported from the Mainland and the centre is liaising with Mainland authorities to trace their source of origin.
According to the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation, the maximum residue limits in string beans for Acephate, Methamidophos and Carbofuran are 1ppm, 0.05ppm and 0.1ppm.
The centre said the detected levels of pesticide residues would not pose adverse health effects if the beans were consumed in normal amounts.
