March 10, 2009
Hong Kong allows partial import of Canadian bone-in beef
The Centre for Food Safety of Hong Kong (CFS) announced Monday (Mar 9) that the processing of applications for bone-in beef import from Canada would resume with immediate effect.
A spokesman for the centre said the partial lifting of suspension of Canadian bone-in beef imports was due to Canada's implementation of enhanced control measures against Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease.
He added that only beef rib cuts and other bone-in products from cattle less than 30 months old are allowed to be imported from Canada at the initial stage. Each and every consignment of bone-in beef products must have CFS's prior written permission and be accompanied by a health certificate.
He also stated the centre will closely monitor the situation and review its import requirements as and when necessary.
Canada's beef import has been temporarily suspended since May 2003, after a case of BSE was detected in Alberta, Canada. Meanwhile, the ban on boneless beef imports from Canada was lifted in November 2004.
