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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (November 30) announced the second phase results of a targeted food surveillance project to assess the use of sulphur dioxide in meat. Of the 183 samples, eight fresh beef samples were found to contain the preservative, which is not permitted to be used in fresh, chilled or frozen meat. The overall satisfactory rate was 95.6 per cent.
The CFS collected beef, pork and mutton samples at fresh provision shops and market stalls, including meat stalls with records of selling meat containing sulphur dioxide, in September and October this year for testing.
"The eight unsatisfactory samples were found to contain sulphur dioxide at levels ranging from 33 parts per million (ppm) to 1,500 ppm. The result of an unsatisfactory fresh beef sample was announced in the Food Safety Reports for September. The CFS has taken follow-up action, including collecting follow-up samples and issuing warning letters to the shop operators concerned," a CFS spokesman said.
"We will continue to closely monitor the situation and conduct blitz inspections against those stalls with conviction records to ensure compliance. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution will be taken."
The spokesman added that individual traders have been found using sulphur dioxide to make the meat look fresher. Following repeated detection of the preservative in fresh meat samples in recent years, the CFS continued to conduct a two-phase targeted surveillance project this year to assess the situation.
The first phase results of the project were announced in May. The overall satisfactory rate of this phase was in line with those of similar studies in recent years. This indicates that illegal use of sulphur dioxide in fresh, chilled or frozen meat is not prevalent.
"Sulphur dioxide is of low toxicity. As it is water-soluble, most of it can be removed through washing and cooking. Adverse health effects are unlikely upon normal consumption of meat with similar detected levels of sulphur dioxide, but susceptible individuals who are allergic to it may experience breathing difficulty, headache and nausea," he said.
Under the Preservatives in Food Regulation (subsidiary legislation of Cap 132), it is an offence to sell fresh, chilled or frozen meat containing sulphur dioxide, and the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment on conviction. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will also temporarily suspend or cancel the fresh provision shop licence concerned according to the "Demerit Points System". For offences related to public market stalls, the stall tenancy may be terminated according to the current mechanism.
The spokesman reminded food trade operators not to use sulphur dioxide in fresh, chilled or frozen meat.
Consumers should purchase meat from reliable shops or market stalls and refrain from buying or consuming meat which is unnaturally red. They should also maintain a balanced diet to avoid excessive intake of food additives from a small range of food items, he added.
Ends/Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Issued at HKT 12:17
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