Hong Kong's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department says excessive mercury has been identified on a kind of cosmetic called Huama ABC Beauty Cream and the Department has asked Hong Kong citizens to stop using the product.

According to a spokesperson of FEHD, a 41-year old Hong Kong woman developed the symptom of mercury poisoning after using Huama ABC beauty cream daily lotion, night lotion and face-washing cream for one month, and relevant tests shows that the cosmetic she used contains over-standard hydrargyrum.

The Hong Kong Customs Department says the cosmetic has not been sold in Hong Kong, but it is sold in Chinese mainland markets by a trade company in Shenzhen.

This is not the first time that cosmetics-resulted-in mercury poisoning has been reported in Hong Kong. Between 2005 and 2007, FEHD has publicized many cases regarding poisoning resulted from excessive mercury content. Since mercury can whiten the skin and make it more beautiful, it has often been used by cosmetic manufacturers on their products. China's Cosmetics Hygiene Standard states that mercury content must not be over 1mg in per kg of cosmetic.