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Nostoc flagelliforme and faked items retailed in Hong Kong

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Abstract

A survey was made to check the authenticity of both dried and cookedNostoc flagelliforme retailed as Fat Choy in Hong Kong,using microscopic and histochemical methods. Results indicated that faked itemswere found in 70% of the 30 samples of dried Fat Choy retailed in seafoodstoresand herb shops and in all 5 samples of cooked Fat Choy obtained from Chineserestaurants. The faked items were non-cellular and packed with starch grains ormasses and black pigments. Staining the faked items with iodine solution turnthem into dark blue or black, whereas the genuine samples remained dullgreenish. This widespread adulteration probably reflects the limited supply ofthis alga which is banned in China from further collection and trading.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin N.T., Hong Kong, P.R. China

    Paul Pui-Hay But, Ling Cheng, Pui Kwan Chan, David Tai-Wai Lau & Joyce Wing-Hin But

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  1. Paul Pui-Hay But
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  2. Ling Cheng
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  3. Pui Kwan Chan
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  4. David Tai-Wai Lau
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  5. Joyce Wing-Hin But
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But, P.PH., Cheng, L., Chan, P.K. et al. Nostoc flagelliforme and faked items retailed in Hong Kong. Journal of Applied Phycology 14, 143–145 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019518329032

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