POPULAR seafoods, particularly oysters, have been found to be contaminated with heavy metals, prompting calls for limited consumption to avoid long-term health problems.
A random sampling of shellfish by the Consumer Council found that oysters grown in local and Chinese waters had a high content of cadmium, which can lead to blood poisoning and brain damage if consumed on a regular basis.
The council issued the warning yesterday in its latest edition of Choice magazine, as the hotpot season began in earnest with the arrival of cold weather.
Of the nine types of locally harvested shellfish tested from 12 different markets, oysters were identified as having the highest concentrations of cadmium.
Scallops, shrimp heads, prawn heads, whelks and clams also contained traces of the metal. The whelks were also found to contain heavy traces of arsenic.
While occasional consumption would not pose a hazard, long-term exposure to the foods could be hazardous, the council said.
The council's publicity chairman, Mr Anthony Yuen Tak-tim, said it would be safe to limit the weekly consumption to below 300 grams, or about five large-sized oysters with shells.