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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (October 31) released the findings of its food safety report for September. Of the 10,000 food samples tested, 12 were found unsatisfactory (details of two of them were announced earlier) and the overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.
A CFS spokesman said about 4,400 food samples were taken for chemical tests. Some 1,500 samples were collected for microbiological tests and the remaining 4,100 (including about 4,000 samples taken from food imported from Japan) for testing of radiation levels.
The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygienic indicators while the chemical tests aimed at detecting pesticides, preservatives, metallic contamination, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and plasticisers and others.
The samples included vegetables and fruits and their products; meat and poultry and their products; aquatic products; milk, milk products and frozen confections; and cereals, grains and their products.
Vegetables, fruits and their products
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The CFS took about 2,600 samples of fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, preserved vegetables and pickled fruits, dried vegetables and ready-to-eat vegetables for analysis.
One sample of fresh straw mushroom was detected to contain two kinds of pesticides. One is dimethoate, at a level of 15.8 parts per million (ppm), and the other, omethoate, at a level of 1.4 ppm. Risk assessment showed that occasional consumption at the levels of the two pesticides detected would not cause adverse health effects, but consumption on a long-term basis might affect the nervous system.
All the remaining samples passed other tests (e.g. pathogens, preservatives and metallic contamination).
Meat, poultry and their products
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All of the 800 samples, including fresh, chilled and frozen pork, beef and poultry, ready-to-eat dishes of meat and poultry served at food establishments, and meat- and poultry-made products, such as Chinese preserved meat, sausages and ham, taken by the CFS passed the tests.
Aquatic products
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Of the some 1,600 samples of fish, shellfish, shrimp, prawn, crab, squid and their products taken for analyses, one sample of frozen ling fillet was found to contain a metallic contaminant, mercury, at a level of 0.8 ppm, exceeding the legal limit of 0.5 ppm.
"Based on the level of mercury detected in the sample, occasional consumption should not cause any adverse health effects, but consumption on a long-term basis may affect the nervous system," the spokesman said.
Another sample of salmon sashimi was detected to contain Salmonella in 25 grams of food. Salmonella may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
Samples for other tests (e.g. preservatives and veterinary drug residues) were found to be satisfactory.
Milk, milk products and frozen confections
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The CFS took about 700 samples of ice-cream, cheese, milk and milk products for tests.
The coliform count, a hygienic indicator, of five samples of a frozen confection of the same flavour and brand were found ranging from 1,700 to 2,300 per gram, exceeding the legal limit of no more than 100 per gram and indicating that the hygienic conditions were below the standard.
Results of other tests (e.g. pathogens, melamine, veterinary drug residues and colouring matters) were satisfactory.
Cereals, grains and their products
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The CFS took some 400 samples of rice, noodles, flour, bread and breakfast cereals for analyses. All samples passed the tests.
Other food commodities
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The CFS took about 3,900 food samples consisting of mixed dishes, dim sum, beverages, sushi, sashimi, sugar, sweets, condiments, sauces, snacks, eggs and egg products for tests.
Other than the two bottled water samples found to contain Pseudomonas announced earlier, two other samples were found unsatisfactory. One sample of soy milk, which was found to contain E. coli at a level of 52,000 per ml, exceeded the guideline limit of no more than 100 per ml and indicated poor hygienic conditions. Another sample of sweet soup which was detected to contain Bacillus cereus at a level of 100,000 per millilitre (ml) exceeded the guideline limit of no more than 100,000 per ml.
"Bacillus cereus may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea," the spokesman said.
Conclusion
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The CFS has taken follow-up actions on all the unsatisfactory samples including asking the vendors concerned to stop sale and dispose of the affected food, taking follow-up samples and issuing warning letters. Prosecution will be taken if there is sufficient evidence.
The spokesman advised consumers to purchase food and beverages from reliable shops and food premises. He pointed out that fruit and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet as they are good sources of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables should be soaked and washed thoroughly before consumption to remove substances attached to the surface, including pesticide residues.
He also noted that fish contain many essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality proteins. Moderate consumption of a variety of fish is recommended. Pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children are the people susceptible to being affected by mercury. When choosing fish for food, they should avoid eating large predatory fish.
The spokesman also reminded the trade to always follow the "Five Keys to Food Safety" during food preparation to prevent food-borne diseases. Importers of frozen confections should regularly check the temperature of transport and the temperature of equipment, like refrigerators, freezers and vending machines, and maintain a first-in, first-out principle to avoid prolonged storage, which affects the safety of frozen confections.
Members of the trade should also maintain a good recording system in accordance with the Food Safety Ordinance to allow source tracing if needed to safeguard public health.
Ends/Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:27
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