China/Hong Kong                               ...

China/Hong Kong                                                                     

Hong Kong Food Safety Scares Persist

Evidence that the spread of a hog-borne bacterial disease, Streptococcus suis, had peaked failed to quell consumer anxiety in Hong Kong this week. The disease has infected 215 people and killed 40, mostly in China’s southwest Sichuan province. Rumors of a second outbreak hit Hong Kong as news reports covered the suspected Streptococcus suis deaths of two people in Suzhou, a city 930 miles east of disease-stricken Sichuan province. Closer to home, a butcher from leading supermarket retailer, Wellcome, was confirmed to have contracted the disease locally.  Although his was the third local case reported within the past month, as a butcher, his infection further fueled concern about the safety of the imported pork supply. Almost all fresh pork sold in the territory is from hogs imported from China. 

Anxiety was created early in the week when authorities in bordering Shenzhen confiscated fresh pork from several local markets and private residences. Hong Kong authorities were given no reasons for the recall, reminiscent for Hong Kong residents of the early days of the SARS epidemic when rumors of a mystery disease met with official denials from mainland authorities. Hong Kong banned and seized pork imported from Henan province and Shenzhen, while calls for a wider import ban on Chinese pork were heard all week.  By the weekend, however, Hong Kong authorities had issued an all clear on the safety of pork from Shenzhen. Although officials denied disease outbreaks in Henan, a ban on Henanese pork remains. Henan accounts for 9 percent of the live hogs and 16 percent of the frozen pork imported into Hong Kong from China. 

Wellcome and Park N Shop, the leading supermarket chains in Hong Kong, have claimed only modest drops in pork sales, but pork sales in wet markets have dropped much more significantly. Since the disease began in June, Hong Kong’s agriculture and fishery department has charted a 50 percent increase in live chicken prices, implying an increase in chicken consumption, presumably at pork’s expense. Leading steakhouse operator Steak Expert claims that the price of imported frozen beef prices was up 20 percent due to hefty consumer demand.

Consumers were rocked again on August 17 when the Hong Kong government called for the removal of eel dishes from local menus after some shipments were found to contain a highly carcinogenic antifungal agent called malachite green.  The substance was found in 12 out of 14 samples examined. Use of the chemical is banned in the United States and Europe.  

Adding fuel to the fire, three restaurants closed after mass food poisoning incidents this week.  One of the chains affected, Todai, a buffet sushi establishment, is an American concept and has been voted one of Hong Kong’s top restaurants.

“Food Safety has dominated the news here this week in Hong Kong,” commented USMEF Vice President, Asia Pacific Joel Haggard. “This could impact the decision-making timeline for U.S. beef access due to public calls for more precautionary policies on food imports.”

USMEF is promoting chilled U.S. pork at several retail outlets this weekend and is continuing to promote U.S. kurobuta pork at Steak Expert.

China/Hong Kong                                                                     

Hong Kong Food Safety Scares Persist

Evidence that the spread of a hog-borne bacterial disease, Streptococcus suis, had peaked failed to quell consumer anxiety in Hong Kong this week. The disease has infected 215 people and killed 40, mostly in China’s southwest Sichuan province. Rumors of a second outbreak hit Hong Kong as news reports covered the suspected Streptococcus suis deaths of two people in Suzhou, a city 930 miles east of disease-stricken Sichuan province. Closer to home, a butcher from leading supermarket retailer, Wellcome, was confirmed to have contracted the disease locally.  Although his was the third local case reported within the past month, as a butcher, his infection further fueled concern about the safety of the imported pork supply. Almost all fresh pork sold in the territory is from hogs imported from China. 

Anxiety was created early in the week when authorities in bordering Shenzhen confiscated fresh pork from several local markets and private residences. Hong Kong authorities were given no reasons for the recall, reminiscent for Hong Kong residents of the early days of the SARS epidemic when rumors of a mystery disease met with official denials from mainland authorities. Hong Kong banned and seized pork imported from Henan province and Shenzhen, while calls for a wider import ban on Chinese pork were heard all week.  By the weekend, however, Hong Kong authorities had issued an all clear on the safety of pork from Shenzhen. Although officials denied disease outbreaks in Henan, a ban on Henanese pork remains. Henan accounts for 9 percent of the live hogs and 16 percent of the frozen pork imported into Hong Kong from China. 

Wellcome and Park N Shop, the leading supermarket chains in Hong Kong, have claimed only modest drops in pork sales, but pork sales in wet markets have dropped much more significantly. Since the disease began in June, Hong Kong’s agriculture and fishery department has charted a 50 percent increase in live chicken prices, implying an increase in chicken consumption, presumably at pork’s expense. Leading steakhouse operator Steak Expert claims that the price of imported frozen beef prices was up 20 percent due to hefty consumer demand.

Consumers were rocked again on August 17 when the Hong Kong government called for the removal of eel dishes from local menus after some shipments were found to contain a highly carcinogenic antifungal agent called malachite green.  The substance was found in 12 out of 14 samples examined. Use of the chemical is banned in the United States and Europe.  

Adding fuel to the fire, three restaurants closed after mass food poisoning incidents this week.  One of the chains affected, Todai, a buffet sushi establishment, is an American concept and has been voted one of Hong Kong’s top restaurants.

“Food Safety has dominated the news here this week in Hong Kong,” commented USMEF Vice President, Asia Pacific Joel Haggard. “This could impact the decision-making timeline for U.S. beef access due to public calls for more precautionary policies on food imports.”

USMEF is promoting chilled U.S. pork at several retail outlets this weekend and is continuing to promote U.S. kurobuta pork at Steak Expert.