Hilary Wong and Agence France-Presse
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
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It was also revealed that more than 15 tonnes of cooked beef, chicken and vegetables supplied to McDonald's by Shanghai Husi Food Co have been dumped in landfills.
Undersecretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said yesterday the center obtained import receipts for the past 24 months from McDonald's and had them checked. Staff from the center than contacted McDonald's Hong Kong.
"First McDonald's told us there was no such food from Husi," Chan said.
"Later when the CFS found out from records that there were imports, we then contacted McDonald's again. They admitted cooked meat and chicken were imported to Hong Kong this year."
Chan said the Food and Health Bureau is considering the possibility of legislation on cooked meat. Importing cooked meat does not require a permit, with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department only carrying out routine sampling.
A department spokesman said 15.6 tonnes of Husi food had been dumped, including 10,100 kilograms of cooked chicken meat, 800kg of beef and 4,700kg of vegetables.
Lee Siu-yuen, assistant director of food and environmental hygiene (food surveillance and control), said McDonald's did not attend a scheduled meeting with the center, but a teleconference was held later on Friday.
The ch
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The center confirmed that McDonald's had imported 110 tonnes of Husi's food, of which 60 tonnes has already been sealed. About 50 tonnes is stored in McDonald's branches and will be transported to a centralized point for FEHD inspection.
Meanwhile, McDonald's outlets across the mainland yanked their flagship burgers from the menu, the company said, as the American owner of Husi parent OSI Group offered consumers a personal apology.
Shanghai Husi staff had allegedly mixed out-of-date meat with fresh products.
"What happened at Husi Shanghai was completely unacceptable and I hope that you will accept my personal and most sincere apology - I am very, very sorry," chairman and chief executive officer Sheldon Lavin told a room full of journalists in Shanghai.
Some outlets in Shanghai and Beijing pulled Big Macs, Chicken McNuggets and other items off the menu.
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