Hairy crabs in China are banned after detection of cancer-causing substances. (Photo : Getty Images)
Cancer-causing substance dioxins in crabs from two aquaculture farms in East China's Jiangsu Province were found after a safety inspection was conducted by the Centre for Food Safety (C.F.S.) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of Hong Kong.
The C.F.S. official website stated that two of the five hairy crab samples they collected in late September contained dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls. The amount was more than 6.5 picograms equivalent per gram.
The two companies involved in China's hairy crab sales were Wujiang Wanqin Taihu Crab Breed Aquatic Co and Jiangsu Taihu Aquatic Co. They supply 80 to 90 percent of sales of Hong Kong's hairy crabs.
The president of Wujiang Wangin, Sun Xingliang, ordered for a recall all the products immediately after receiving the notice from the Jiangsu Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.
Sun Hong, an executive from the Jiangsu Company, contested the results and said that there were no dioxins in their seafood. He requested that the crabs be subjected to further testing.
Hong said that his products must have been contaminated with the other seafood with dioxins.
"The Chinese mainland is very strict with food safety. The case is rare and will not affect the food trade between the mainland and Hong Kong," said Zhang Yongjian, the executive director of the Research Center for the Development and Regulation of the Food and Drug Industry at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Zhang said that the incident needs further investigation.
Dr. Philip Ho Yuk-Yin,a consultant at the Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong, said that the affected crabs would not cause any health risks or food poisoning.
"If a person has consumed more than 14 large, contaminated hairy crabs during the season, which runs from September to November, they would exceed their monthly intake limit of the chemicals," he said.
