The 106 samples of hairy crabs recently collected at import, wholesale and retail levels for chemical and microbiological tests were all found to be satisfactory, the Centre for Food Safety says.

The chemical tests included veterinary drug residues, metallic contamination, synthetic hormones and colouring matters, while the microbiological tests covered parasites.

Despite the satisfactory results, the centre urged people to be careful when buying and eating this seasonal delicacy. Traders should import hairy crabs with health certificates and source from reliable suppliers, and keep hairy crabs for sale in the refrigerator.

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