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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (February 26) released its Food Safety Report for January, which covered food surveillance results for the month.
About 5,000 food samples were tested. Of these, about 4,100 were taken for chemical tests and about 900 for microbiological and other tests. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8%, with nine samples found to be unsatisfactory (seven of them, namely, pickled pepper, preserved pork sausage, frozen half-shell scallop, dried fish maw, New Year pudding and two bamboo fungus samples have been published earlier).
While microbiological tests cover pathogens, chemical tests are to detect pesticides, preservatives, metallic contamination and colouring matters.
Samples 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
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About 2,100 samples of vegetables, fruits and their products were taken for microbiological and chemical tests. Apart from a pickled pepper sample and two bamboo fungus samples previously announced, all the other samples were satisfactory.
Meat, poultry and products
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The CFS collected about 300 samples of meat, poultry and their products for microbiological and chemical tests. Apart from a preserved pork sausage sample announced earlier, a fresh beef sample was found to contain sulphur dioxide, which is not permitted to be used in fresh meat, at a level of 17ppm.
Results of other tests (including for pathogens and veterinary drug residues) were satisfactory.
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 a sample of frozen half-shell scallop and a sample of dried fish maw announced previously, 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 (including melamine, colouring matters and sweeteners). All the test results were satisfactory.
Cereals, grains and products
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About 100 samples were tested for micro-organisms and chemicals. Apart from a New Year pudding sample announced previously, all the other samples were satisfactory.
Other food commodities
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The CFS took about 1,600 samples including snacks, dim sum, sushi, sashimi, condiments and sauces for tests and all the results of tests for chemicals were satisfactory.
For microbiological tests, a sample of tuna tartare was found to contain the pathogen Salmonella.
Conclusion
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For the fresh beef sample detected with sulphur dioxide, the concerned vendor is a repeat offender. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has taken prosecution action. If the concerned vendor is again convicted, the FEHD will impose administrative punishment by suspending the license for seven days. The FEHD will continue to conduct inspections at the concerned stall and take samples for testing.
Under the Preservatives in Food Regulations, selling fresh, chilled or frozen meat containing preservatives is an offence and the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment. Once convicted, the vendor's licence may be temporarily suspended or cancelled according to the current mechanism.
The spokesman urged the food trade to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practices and comply with legal requirements.
"The food sample detected with pathogen Salmonella reflected poor hygiene conditions during food processing," the spokesman said. He reminded food handlers to observe good personal hygiene so as to minimise the risk of food poisoning.
Regarding the unsatisfactory samples, the CFS has taken follow-up action, including asking the concerned vendors to stop selling and to dispose of the affected food, taking further samples and issuing warning letters. "If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution will be taken out," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, February 26, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:50
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