Hong Kong Oilfish Controversy
Hong Kong's ParknShop supermarket was selling oilfish as "cod fish " in its stores. Consumers ate the fish, believing it to be codfish, then suffered oily diarrhea (keriorrhea) as a result. The oilfish-labelling controversy was reported by a number of news and media organizations, such as TVB Newsmagazine. A total of 14 complaints were filed against the supermarket chain, leading to an investigation by the Centre for Food Safety. ParkNShop has denied responsibility, claiming the fish is safe for human consumption. Nonetheless, the chain has since stopped selling the fish product.
On 30 January 2007, the commercial attache from the Indonesian consulate in Hong Kong confirmed the export health certificate Mr Peter Johnston, ParkNShop's Quality Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs General Manager, had used in its media conference several days earlier, was doctored. The attache explained its fisheries department, under a request from the Hong Kong importer, had changed the product name, by including "Cod Fish" alongside its scientific name, on the certificate.
As a result of the PARKnSHOP-oilfish incident, Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong published new guidelines on the proper labelling of oilfish to consumers, such that oilfish species Ruvettus pretiosus and Lepidocybium flavobrunneum should not be labelled as "cod". ParknShop was also fined HKD 45,000 after pleading guilty to 9 counts of misrepresentation of products.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported (Feb. 23, 2007) on several cases in Canada where mislabelled oilfish was sold at Chinese supermarkets.
Read more about this topic: Oilfish
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