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ˇ@ˇ@The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (February 27) released results of its food surveillance programme for 2006.
ˇ@ˇ@Among the some 64,000 food samples taken for microbiological and chemical tests, the overall failure rate remained at a low level of 0.3%, same as that in 2005, a CFS spokesman said.
ˇ@ˇ@While microbiological tests cover pathogenic bacteria and viruses, chemical tests are conducted to detect food additives, contaminants and natural toxins in food samples.
ˇ@ˇ@For microbiological tests, the spokesman said about 21,000 food samples were analysed. Among them, 41 samples were found to contain unacceptable levels of pathogens such as Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphyloccus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella and Noroviruses.
ˇ@ˇ@"This represents an unsatisfactory rate of about 0.2%, compared with 0.1% in 2005."
ˇ@ˇ@More than half of the unsatisfactory samples were found to contain Bacillus cereus, which was detected mainly in starchy food such as rice, vermicelli and noodles.
ˇ@ˇ@The spokesman stressed the importance of proper food handling and storage to avoid breeding of pathogens. To prevent food poisoning caused by Bacillus cereus, he reminded the public to observe good personal and food hygiene, avoid cross contamination, cook food thoroughly to a core temperature of 75 degrees Celsius and keep cooked hot foods above 60 degrees Celsius and cold foods below 4 degrees Celsius.
ˇ@ˇ@For chemical analyses, the spokesman said that of the some 41,000 food samples tested, 156 (about 0.4%) were found to be unsatisfactory, with unsatisfactory rate same as that in 2005. They covered 64 samples containing non-permitted or excessive food additives, 55 containing non-permitted or excessive veterinary drug residues, 34 containing excessive chemical contaminants and three containing excessive natural toxins.
ˇ@ˇ@Out of about 3,570 samples, there were 55 unsatisfactory results related to non-permitted or excessive veterinary drug residues. Among them, 36 samples of fish and fish product were found to contain malachite green, while 18 samples, including geoduck, fresh water fish and marine fish, were found containing antibiotics residues such as nitrofurans and chloramphenicol. Moreover, one sample of frozen pork was found to cotain clenbuterol.
ˇ@ˇ@The CFS has taken follow-up actions against the vendors, including issuing warnings or summons.
ˇ@ˇ@Turning to chemical contaminants, 17 out of 22,300 vegetable samples were detected to contain a low level of methamidophos.
ˇ@ˇ@To reduce the risk posed by pesticide-contaminated vegetables, the spokesman advised consumers to soak vegetables in clean water for an hour or wash them well before cooking.
ˇ@ˇ@Seventeen out of 1,150 samples were found containing excessive amounts of heavy metals. They include samples of oysters, vermicelli, vegetables and peanut containing cadmium, and shrimps and egg samples with arsenic and mercury respectively.
ˇ@ˇ@Regarding food additives, out of some 4,600 samples taken for preservative analysis, 45 were found to contain non-permitted/excessive preservatives, including sweetened lotus seed, fried dace, Chinese buns and beef ball.
ˇ@ˇ@Benzoic acid was found in 21 samples of food. Sixteen samples including fresh beef, sweetened lotus seed, dried shrimp, Chinese tea and dried conch slice were found to contain non-permitted or excessive sulphur dioxide. Other samples failing the tests, such as fish cake, seafood sauce and sausage, were found to contain non-permitted or excessive sorbic acid or propionic acid.
ˇ@ˇ@Three out of 1,110 samples were found unsatisfactory in terms of natural toxins (for example ciguatoxin and PSP toxins)
ˇ@ˇ@As for colouring matters, the spokesman said 13 out of 3,020 samples, including Chinese sausage, Chinese bun, jelly candy, yellow croaker, dried bean curb, pork rib, hen eggs and salted duck egg were found to contain non-permitted food colours.
ˇ@ˇ@ˇ§It was the first time that the CFS detected non-permitted colour Sudan dyes in poultry eggs. The CFS has implemented measures to step up control on importation of poultry eggs since January this year, including the health certificate for imported eggs from the Mainland and the voluntary enrolment scheme for egg importers,wholesalers and distributors,ˇ¨ the spokesman added.
ˇ@ˇ@He reminded the food trade to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practice and comply with legal requirements.
ˇ@ˇ@ˇ§All the exceedances/breaches were not serious and would not pose immediate health risks. Regarding the unsatisfactory samples, the CFS had arranged to take follow-up samples from the same sources for tests, and the follow-up samples taken were all found to be satisfactory.
ˇ§On the whole, Hong Kongˇ¦s food safety remains at a high standard,ˇ¨ the spokesman said.
Ends/Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:55
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