**********************************
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (February 6) released its sixth Food Safety Report for 2008, which covered food surveillance results for November and December.
Announcing the results at a press conference, Assistant Director (Food Surveillance and Control) of the CFS, Dr Miranda S Y Lee, said about 11,200 food samples were tested in November and December. Among them, about 8,500 samples were taken for chemical tests and about 2,400 for microbiological tests.
"The overall satisfactory rate was 99.6%, with 43 samples found unsatisfactory," she said.
While microbiological tests cover pathogens and viruses, chemical tests are conducted to detect sweeteners, preservatives, metallic contamination, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues, pesticides and melamine.
Food samples tested included vegetables, fruits and their products; meat, poultry and their products; aquatic products; milk, milk products and frozen confections; and cereals, grains and their products.
Vegetables, fruits and products
-------------------------------
About 3,700 samples of vegetables, fruit and their products were taken for microbiological and chemical tests. There were six unsatisfactory samples.
On pesticides, tests were conducted for four main types covering more than 100 pesticides (such as DDT, methamidophos and hexachlorocyclohexane). A Chinese parsley sample was found to contain a trace amount of isocarbophos at a level of 5.1ppm.
For metallic contamination, tests included cadmium, arsenic and lead. Five samples (one Chinese white cabbage, one Chinese flowering cabbage, one baby spinach and two Chinese spinach) were found to contain cadmium at levels ranging from 0.17ppm to 0.26ppm, exceeding the legal limit of 0.1ppm.
For preservatives and colouring matters, all samples tested were satisfactory.
Meat, poultry and products
--------------------------
The CFS collected about 1,500 samples of meat, poultry and their products for microbiological and chemical tests. Apart from the 19 unsatisfactory fresh meat samples, which were announced earlier, there were seven unsatisfactory samples.
Regarding the tests for veterinary drug residues, a sample of frozen suckling pig was found to contain oxytetracycline at a level of 1.1ppm, exceeding the legal limit of 0.1ppm.
On food additives, two samples of smoked pork sausage were found to contain the preservative sorbic acid, which is not permitted to use in that type of food, at levels of 1,000ppm and 1,400ppm respectively. Two fresh beef samples were found to contain sulphur dioxide, which is not permitted to use in fresh meat, at levels of 12ppm and 1,900ppm respectively.
Concerning tests on pathogens, two samples of marinated chicken gizzard were found to contain Salmonella.
All samples tested for colouring matters were satisfactory.
Aquatic products
-----------------
About 1,200 samples (including freshwater fish, seawater fish and shellfish) were analysed for micro-organisms, chemicals and toxins. There were seven samples with unsatisfactory results.
In the tests for veterinary drug residues, a sample of fried mud carp ball was detected with malachite green at a level of 0.0035ppm.
Concerning tests for metallic contamination (including mercury, chromium, arsenic and cadmium), three ling fillet samples and three black cod fish samples were found to contain mercury at levels ranging from 0.9ppm to 1.6ppm, exceeding the legal limit of 0.5ppm.
All samples tested for pathogens and toxins had satisfactory results.
Milk, milk products and frozen confections
------------------------------------------
The CFS took about 2,000 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections for microbiological and chemical analyses. All the results were satisfactory.
Cereals, grains and products
----------------------------
About 200 samples were analysed for micro-organisms and chemicals. All the samples had satisfactory results.
Other food commodities
----------------------
About 2,600 samples including snacks, dim sum, sushi, sashimi, condiments and sauces were also tested. Apart from the unsatisfactory samples of two "poon choi" and an egg, which were announced earlier, one sample of dietary supplementary was found to contain the non-permitted sweetener stevioside.
Conclusion
----------
"Of the food sample results announced today, most of the exceedances or breaches were not serious and would not pose immediate health risks upon normal consumption," Dr Lee said.
On fish samples detected with excessive mercury, she advised consumers to have moderate consumption of fish as it contained many essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids and high quality proteins. People should maintain a balanced diet and eat a variety of fish. When choosing food fish, children, pregnant women and women planning for pregnancy should avoid eating large predatory fish.
"Regarding the unsatisfactory samples, the CFS has taken follow-up actions, including tracing the source of food in question, asking concerned vendors to stop selling and to dispose of affected food items, taking further samples and issuing warning letters," she said.
Concluding the food surveillance programme for 2008, Dr Lee said that apart from the regular food surveillance, the CFS had conducted a number of targeted as well as seasonal food surveillance projects. It tested about 66,000 samples last year and the overall satisfactory rate was 99.6%. The breaches were mainly related to pathogens, excessive use or use of non-permitted additives and harmful substances.
Dr Lee appealed to the food trade to follow good manufacturing practice and comply with legal requirements. She also reminded people to patronise licensed and reliable food premises and to maintain balanced diet. Dr Lee also advised the trade and public to follow the "5 Keys to Food Safety" - Choose (choose safe raw materials); Clean (keep hands and utensils clean); Separate (separate raw and cooked food); Cook (cook thoroughly) and Safe Temperature (keep food at safe temperature).
The trade and public can also visit the CFS website (www.cfs.gov.hk) for the latest information on food safety.
On CFS's follow-up on the melamine incident, Dr Lee said that since mid-September last year, the CFS had tested more than 5,300 samples for melamine. The overall satisfactory rate was more than 99%, with 40 unsatisfactory samples. The results have been announced and uploaded onto the CFS website.
"The CFS is conducting its risk-based surveillance and sampling programme in three phases. The third phase started in mid-November for completion in the middle of this month, focusing on testing those products identified to pose higher risk from the previous testing and any other relevant food types.
"We will review the testing programme after the completion of the third phase with a view to incorporating the testing of melamine into CFS's regular surveillance plan thereafter," Dr Lee said.
Ends/Friday, February 6, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:31
NNNN
