US Black Cod Recalled as Methylmercury Exceeds Legal Limit by 60%
AM730 · 5 SOURCESabout 22 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has instructed a merchant to stop selling and remove from shelves a batch of pre-packaged Alaska black cod steak imported from the United States, after routine testing revealed methylmercury contamination significantly above legal limits. The affected product was sourced from an online store as part of the CFS's regular food surveillance programme, with the importer now conducting a recall .
Key Points
- The affected product is Alaska Seafood brand U.S. Alaska Black Cod Steak, 350g package, with best-before date of September 20, 2026 .
- The importer is Galleon International Limited (朗進國際有限公司), while the distributor is Wing Lee Lung (永利隆) .
- Laboratory analysis showed methylmercury content of 0.8 mg per kg, exceeding the legal standard of 0.5 mg per kg by 60% .
- The CFS discovered the violation through its routine food monitoring programme, collecting the sample from an online retailer .
- Consumers may call the importer's hotline at 3643 0172 during office hours for recall information; the CFS is also tracing the product's source .
Why It Matters
The CFS is continuing to trace the product's source and investigate the distribution network, while warning that high mercury intake can impair fetal brain development and damage adults' vision, hearing, muscle coordination, and memory. Vulnerable groups including pregnant women, women planning pregnancy, and young children are advised to choose smaller fish species to reduce exposure to heavy metal pollutants, as larger predatory fish tend to accumulate higher mercury levels . Under Hong Kong law, selling food with metal impurity concentrations above statutory limits carries penalties of up to HK$50,000 fine and six months' imprisonment .
The CFS is continuing to trace the product's source and investigate the distribution network, while warning that high mercury intake can impair fetal brain development and damage adults' vision, hearing, muscle coordination, and memory. Vulnerable groups including pregnant women, women planning pregnancy, and young children are advised to choose smaller fish species to reduce exposure to heavy metal pollutants, as larger predatory fish tend to accumulate higher mercury levels . Under Hong Kong law, selling food with metal impurity concentrations above statutory limits carries penalties of up to HK$50,000 fine and six months' imprisonment .