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■台灣塑化劑風波擴大到麵包和烘焙業，港府應與台灣當局保持密切聯繫，了解更多有關塑化劑污染對香港可能造成的影響。 資料圖片
台灣上月底爆出大量食品受有毒塑化劑污染，已對香港市場造成心理恐慌。當局應密切聯絡本地食品進口商，盡快查明問題食品在港銷售情況，並與台灣當局保持密切聯繫，了解更多有關塑化劑污染可能影響香港的內容。同時，面對有毒添加劑食品層出不窮，當局應檢討本港目前的食品檢驗制度，制訂新的標準，擴大檢測範圍，堵塞本港食品檢驗制度漏洞，確保本港食品安全。
台灣有毒塑化劑風波，是在食品生產用的起雲劑中非法添加塑化劑。起雲劑是一種合法的食品添加劑，而塑化劑是致癌物質，不得添加在食品裡。事實上，在現代食品生產中，類似起雲劑這樣的合法食品添加劑無處不在，可以說沒有食品添加劑，就沒有現代食品工業。但非法添加劑卻是造成有毒食品的重要原因。目前，非法添加劑已經引起了社會對食品安全的恐慌，並連帶殃及合法的食品添加劑。
一些食品加工商為了降低成本，違規使用非法添加劑，昧著良心賺錢，使有毒食品不斷出現，令本港目前的食品檢驗制度受到極大挑戰。本港食安中心承認，台灣有毒塑化劑風波有關的添加劑，不在日常食物監察計劃的檢測項目內，這暴露本港現有的食品檢測標準存在漏洞。當局應檢討本港目前的食品檢驗制度，採取措施堵塞漏洞。
Plug the loopholes in the local food inspection system
There were reports at the end of last month that a large variety of food products in Taiwan were contaminated by toxic plasticizer and the news has caused much panic in Hong Kong. The authorities in Hong Kong should now keep in close contact with local food importers to track down the sales records of doubtful products in the territory as soon as possible; and on the other hand, liaise closely with the Taiwanese authorities to find out more about the likely effects that the plasticizer contamination could bring to Hong Kong. At the same time, in view of the great varieties of toxic food additives, the authorities should review the existing food inspection system, set new standards and enlarge the scope of inspection so as to plug the loopholes in the food inspection system and ensure food safety in Hong Kong.
The toxic plasticizer incident in Taiwan stemmed from the unlawful addition of plasticizer to a clouding agent used for food production. Clouding agent is a food additive approved under law but plasticizer is a carcinogen which is not allowed in food products. In fact, approved additives like clouding agent are widely used in modern food processing industry and they can be found almost in all food products. It can be said that the modern food industry could not have come into being if there were no food additives. It is actually the banned additives that have caused serious food poisoning problems. Today, the unlawful use of banned additives has already created a panic in society over food safety, and this affects also the use of approved additives.
Some food processing businesses have unlawfully used banned additives in order to reduce cost, and made a fortune having no regard for social conscience. Because of these businesses, toxic food products continue to flood the market and pose big challenges to the existing food inspection system in Hong Kong. The Centre for Food Safety has admitted that the additive concerned in the current plasticizer incident in Taiwan is not an item of inspection under the regular food surveillance programme. This exposes the fact that loopholes exist in the current food inspection standards in Hong Kong. The authorities should review the system and take measures to plug the loopholes. ■Translation by 開明 chi.ming818@gmail.com
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