Press Release

Health advice on preparing vegetables

June 21, 2000

The Department of Health (DH) today (June 21) urged members of the public to wash and blanch vegetables thoroughly before cooking.

The appeal was made following the confirmation of the first two cases of food poisoning related to pesticide contamination this (2000) year.

Both cases had consumed silky gourd. Follow-up investigation found the vegetable consumed by patients of one case to be contaminated with methamidophos.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department had stepped up sampling of vegetables at Man Kam To Food Control Office and retail outlets.

To reduce food poisoning by pesticide contaminated vegetables, members of the public are strongly advised to take the following precautionary measures: -

• Do not buy vegetables with an obvious strange smell;
• Wash well before cooking;
• Soak vegetables into clean water for one hour to allow pesticide to leach out;
• Blanch in boiling water and pour away the water used for blanching as it may contain dissolved pesticides;
• Cook thoroughly before consumption; and
• Do not patronise unlicensed hawkers.

The two cases of food poisoning involved five persons. All patients were treated and discharged from hospital except for a 70-year-old man who was admitted. He is in stable condition.