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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (March 27) released its Food Safety Report for February, which covered food surveillance results for the month.
About 4,400 food samples were tested in February. Among them, about 3,700 were taken for chemical tests and about 700 for microbiological and other tests. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.7%, with 13 samples found unsatisfactory.
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.
Samples tested included vegetables, fruit 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
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About 2,000 samples of vegetables, fruit and their products were taken for microbiological and chemical tests. Except for the three previously announced unsatisfactory samples of preserved vegetables and fruit, all the sample results were satisfactory.
Meat, poultry and products
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The CFS collected about 700 samples of meat, poultry and their products for microbiological and chemical tests. Eight fresh beef samples were found to contain sulphur dioxide, which is not permitted to be used in fresh meat, at levels between 14ppm and 6,500ppm.
All samples passed tests for pathogens, veterinary drug residues and colouring matters.
Aquatic products
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About 400 samples (including fish, shellfish and their products) were analysed for micro-organisms, chemicals and biotoxins. Apart from an unsatisfactory sample of tuna fillet, which was announced earlier, all the other samples were satisfactory.
Milk, milk products and frozen confections
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The CFS took about 500 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections for microbiological and chemical analyses. All the test results were satisfactory.
Cereals, grains and products
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About 100 samples were tested for micro-organisms and chemicals and all were satisfactory.
Other food commodities
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About 700 samples including snacks, dim sum, sushi, sashimi, condiments and sauces were also tested. One sample of rice with barbecued pork and roasted duck was found to contain the pathogen Clostridium perfringens at a level of 110,000 per gramme.
Conclusion
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"Of the test results announced today, most of the exceedances or breaches were not serious and would not pose adverse health risks upon normal consumption," a CFS spokesman said.
For the fresh beef samples detected with sulphur dioxide, the spokesman urged the trade to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practice and comply with legal requirements.
"Regarding the food sample detected with pathogen, the breaches could be indications of unsatisfactory hygiene conditions during food processing, especially improper holding temperature of food. As summer is approaching, the food trade should strictly follow the 'Five Keys to Food Safety' in preparing food to minimise food poisoning risks and prevent food-borne diseases in hot weather.
"The CFS has taken follow-up action in respect of the unsatisfactory samples. These included tracing the source of the food items, asking concerned vendors to stop selling and dispose of them, taking further samples and issuing warning letters. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution will also be taken," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, March 27, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:03
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