食品伙伴网报道，据英国食品标准局官网8月5日的消息称，这种被称为hijiki的海藻，含有高浓度的无机砷。而无机砷则会大大增加人体患上癌症的风险。
该消费警告是由欧盟下达给FSA的，是关于一个商标为Clearspring的hijiki海藻产品，因为其含有高浓度的无机砷，而英国食品标准局则建议英国公民避免食用所有的在英国境内销售的hijiki。
英国食品标准局建议消费者选择其他品种的海藻，因为该局在2004年曾进行过一次调查，其其结果是在一些生物中，例如hijiki，高浓度的无机砷是自然发生的，该局同时也对其他海藻种类，如海带、紫菜和裙带菜等，在这些海藻中并未发现无机砷的存在。
hijiki是一种独特的近乎黑色的丝状海藻，主要是用作日本餐馆里的餐前开胃菜，在寿司和中国菜中并不使用。
hijiki在汤、沙拉以及一些素食和素食菜肴中也作为一种材料在使用。有时会在一些超级市场、百货公司、保健食品商店以及出售亚洲和远东食品特的色商店中发现有此类食物出售。
该机构已联系了欧盟委员会，以确定他们是否打算对已经遍布整个欧盟市场的hijiki采取行动。
本报道由食品伙伴网编译整理，仅供食品行业相关人士参考，详细内容以国外原文报道为准。
原文地址：http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2010/aug/hijikiseaweed
原文报道：
Consumers advised not to eat hijiki seaweed
Thursday 5 August 2010
The Food Standards Agency is reminding people of its advice not to eat a type of seaweed called hijiki because it contains high levels of inorganic arsenic. Inorganic arsenic is known to increase people’s risk of getting cancer.
This reminder follows a notification from the European Commission to the Agency about a brand of hijiki seaweed, Clearspring, which was found to contain high levels of arsenic. The Agency is advising people to avoid all hijiki on sale in the UK.
We are advising people not to eat hijiki seaweed and to choose alternative types of seaweed instead. However, if you have eaten hijiki occasionally it is unlikely that you have raised your risk of developing cancer significantly.
The Agency also carried out a survey in 2004, which found that hijiki contains inorganic arsenic – a form that occurs naturally in some foods. The survey also tested arame, kombu, nori and wakame but no inorganic arsenic was found in these types of seaweed.
Hijiki is a distinctive, almost black, shredded seaweed, that is used mainly as an appetiser or starter in some Japanese restaurants. It is not used in sushi or in Chinese restaurants.
Hijiki is also sold for use in soups and salads and some vegetarian and vegan dishes where seaweed is an ingredient. It is sometimes found in the specialist food sections of some supermarkets and department stores and in health food shops and specialist shops selling Asian and Far Eastern food.
The Agency has contacted the European Commission to establish if they intend to take action on hijiki, which is also on sale across the European Union (EU).
