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According to a targeted food surveillance project recently conducted by the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) to assess the use of sulphur dioxide in meat, seven out of 180 fresh meat samples tested contained the preservative, which is not permitted to be used in fresh, chilled or frozen meat.
Announcing the results of the project today (December 19), a spokesman for the CFS said that the beef, pork and mutton samples were collected from fresh provision shops and market stalls between September and November for testing. The overall satisfactory rate was 96.1 per cent.
"The unsatisfactory samples, six beef and one mutton, were collected from three fresh provision shops and four market stalls. They were found to contain sulphur dioxide at levels ranging from 13 parts per million (ppm) to 590 ppm."
The results of five of them were announced in the Food Safety Report for October, the CFS spokesman said, adding that follow-up actions have been taken, including issuing warning letters to the shop operators concerned and collecting follow-up samples which were found to be satisfactory.
The spokesman noted that individual meat traders had been found using sulphur dioxide to make the meat look more fresh.
The CFS continued to conduct a two-phase targeted surveillance project this year to assess the use of the chemical in meat following repeated detection of the preservative in fresh meat samples in recent years. Results of the first phase of surveillance were announced in May.
"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 levels of sulphur dioxide, but 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. The maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and six months' imprisonment.
Upon conviction, the FEHD would suspend or cancel the fresh provision shop licence concerned under the Demerit Points System, the spokesman said. For offences related to public market stalls, the tenancy would be terminated in accordance with the current mechanism.
The spokesman appealed to the food trade to comply with the law and not to use sulphur dioxide in fresh, chilled or frozen meat.
"We will continue to closely monitor the situation and conduct blitz inspections on stalls with conviction records and collect follow-up samples. If there is sufficient evidence suggesting a breach of the law, prosecution action will be taken," he added.
Ends/Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Issued at HKT 14:31
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