Report: Fresh Produce Undergoes “Hasty” Safety Inspections in Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s Office of the Ombudsman has publicly stated that food safety checks of fresh produce in the city are “hasty.” This comes as the Office of the Ombudsman--tasked with investigating the public administration and any complaints logged against government officials or departments--unveiled results from an investigation entitled “Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s System of Safety Control for Imported Fruits and Vegetables”. The investigation was prompted by a “Complaint about the Handling of an Application for Housing Transfer by Social Welfare Department and Housing Department”--also outlined in a second report.
Fruits and vegetables undergo mediocre inspections, and sometimes no inspections are performed at all. Laboratory test results are slow. Also, the rules on lead residue in leafy greens are rather lax. These loopholes are potentially jeopardizing the health and wellbeing of Hong Kong’s residents.