For a long while, chickens and ducks were the culprits following the bird flu scare. Then there was the mad cow disease affecting some overseas countries and which resulted in restrictions to beef imports, followed by the swine disease.

Now we have eels, eel products, fresh fish, all imported from the mainland and said to contain various quantities of the banned chemical, malachite green. In addition there is an outbreak of a pig-borne disease in Sichuan which has curtailed frozen porks imports.

However, catering industry legislator does not see any immediate danger for Hong Kong's seven million residents despite the fact that up to 80 percent of the food consumed in the SAR comes from the mainland.

``Of course, no one can predict whether or not there will be another disaster involving food, but I am confident that China will not want to jeopardize its food exports and will be doing everything possible to ensure these meet international standards,'' Cheung said.

``For instance, look at the series of undercover reports about substandard food production that have appeared in the mainland media and on [China Central Television] CCTV-9. If China really did not want to improve its food safety standards or if it was trying to keep a lid on what has been discovered, these reports would never have appeared on national television.''

Cheung said residual pesticides normally found on vegetables were easily washed off if people go through even the preliminary precautions of food preparation.

``As to the streptococcus suis bacteria, it has been around pigs for ever, and butchers and cooks should by now know how to protect themselves by wearing gloves,'' he said.

``As to eels and fish, fish farmers were already told some time ago not to use certain antibiotics or chemicals.''

However, Cheung agreed the Hong Kong government could do more to protect its residents. For one thing it should increase food safety contacts with the mainland authorities and it should also push the catering industry to adopt a more active approach with regard to food safety by keeping it informed about the harmful effects of certain additives.

The former vice-president of the Hong Kong Food Council, Lee Kwong-lam, who for decades had been advocating food safety, said the SAR government had been slow to react to safety issues, but was now doing the right thing by setting up a food safety center.

``Hong Kong is now doing a good job in food inspection, but China is a big country and there are many food safety issues that need to be addressed,'' Lee said.

He said it was evident from recent reports that both Hong Kong and the mainland were devoting greater efforts toward safeguarding food.

Meanwhile, a 79-year-old woman was confirmed to have contracted the deadly streptococcus suis infection, the Hong Kong health department said Monday. She is in a critical condition at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Health authorities said they are investigating how she contracted the disease. The woman is Hong Kong 10th case this year.

Shenzhen health officials also confirmed a fourth case and also reported that one of the patients had died.

matthew.lee@singtaonewscorp.com