Hong Kong adopts the Codex Alimentarius Commission's standard on checking vegetable pesticide residues, and will not tolerate the use of any unregistered pesticides, Director of Food & Environmental Hygiene Leung Wing-lup says.

Speaking on a radio talkshow today, Mr Leung said of the 20,000 samples taken for multiple pesticide checks last year, 15,000 were collected from Man Kam To checkpoint and the rest from markets and supermarkets.

He said the Vegetable Marketing Organisation also conducted its own tests on vegetables from local farms, and 9,000 samples have been tested in the past six months.

Mr Leung said that at Man Kam To Food Control Office, samples will be taken from each vegetable lorry for tests. Once excessive residue pesticides are found, the source could easily be traced and Mainland authorities will be notified to suspend supply from the concerned farms.

Mainland checks

Speaking on the tests conducted by the Mainland authorities, he said the national standard which is originated from the Codex standard, is used.

Mr Leung said small Mainland farms can supply vegetables to Hong Kong through registered collection points, where tests would be conducted on their own, and random checks conducted before issuing safety certificates.

He said Mainland authorities will also conduct regular vegetable farm inspections to monitor the use of pesticide.

Noting about 1,700 tonnes of vegetables are supplied to Hong Kong every day, Mr Leung said the present sampling ratio is appropriate taking into account risk assessment and resources deployment, adding vegetable tests have accounted for one third of the department's food tests.

Voluntary registration

He said the checking system has all along been running well, except that it is difficult to trace the vegetable sources at retail points. To fill this loophole, the Government is considering launching a voluntary registration system for local vegetable farms.

Mr Leung said the major supermarket chains have agreed to set up a better vegetable source tracing system, and his department will offer any necessary assistance.

He advised people to soak vegetables in water for an hour before cooking so as to remove any pesticide residues, adding release of the department's vegetable test results will also be considered.