Amid food-safety concerns, 16 fast-food companies in Hong Kong, including KFC and Starbucks, have announced they have stopped serving Brazilian meat.

Fairwood and Maxim’s Caterers are also on the list of firms that had been importing frozen meats, including pork, beef and chicken, from Brazil.

Fairwood says it will source pork from other countries, and TamJai SamGor Mixian, a Yunnan rice-noodle shop, says it has stopped serving Brazilian chicken wings.

Both KFC and Maxim’s Caterers, which has more than 120 fast-food shops, 180 cake shops and 165 Starbucks coffee shops in Hong Kong and Macau, say they have suspended the use of Brazilian meat.

Meanwhile, two Hong Kong Brazilian restaurants – Braza Churrascaria in Central and DJAPA in Wan Chai, say they buy meat only from Australia and China respectively.

Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety last week announced it was suspending the imports of Brazilian frozen meats after 21 food suppliers in the South American country were put under investigation by police over accusations they bribed health inspectors to turn a blind eye to shoddy practices.

Imports landed in Hong Kong from six of the 21 suppliers have been recalled with the CFS saying it will liaise with local importers to ensure all stock is recovered.

“As regards the temporary import suspension on frozen and chilled meat and poultry from Brazil, the CFS will maintain this precautionary measure,” the CFS said in a statement on Friday. “Once the Brazilian authorities provide more detailed information, the CFS will conduct further risk assessment and suitably review its follow-up actions, including narrowing the scope of the import ban.

“The CFS will also make special arrangements for the frozen and chilled meat and poultry from Brazil which are being shipped but not yet arrived to Hong Kong prior to the import ban. The CFS will mark and seal the products upon their arrival for proper handling after the completion of the relevant investigation.”