Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Email this article news.gov.hk
A milk beverage and frozen confection found unhygienic
******************************************************

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (August 21) that the hygienic condition of a milk beverage sample and a frozen confection sample of two different brands were found to be unhygienic. The products concerned have been marked and sealed at the import level. Details of the products are as follows:

(1)  Product name: "Greenfields" Pasteurised Chocolate Malt Milk Beverage
     PackageˇG 946 millilitre per carton
     Used-by date: August 30, 2014
     Importer: Austasia Food HK Ltd
     Place of origin: Indonesia

(2)  Product name: "iQuality" Brand Frozen Confection (Corn flavour)
     Package: 65 grammes per stick
     Use-by date: October 16, 2015
     Importer: China Treasure Group Ltd
     Place of origin: Malaysia

     "The CFS collected five samples of milk beverage and another five frozen confection samples at the import level for testing. Test results showed that the total bacteria count of one chocolate malt milk beverage sample was 2.9 million per millilitre, exceeding the legal limit of no more than 30 000 per millilitre. The five samples of frozen confection were found to contain coliform organisms at levels ranging from 300 to 630 per gramme, exceeding the legal limit of no more than 100 coliform organisms per gramme," a CFS spokesman said.

     "The consignments of the affected products have been marked and sealed. No affected products entered the local market. The fact that total bacteria count and coliform organisms exceeded the legal limits indicates unsatisfactory hygiene conditions but does not mean they would lead to food poisoning.

     "The manufacturers concerned were warned. The Centre has temporarily suspended the import permission granted to the importers in relation to all 'Greenfields' brand pasteurised milk and milk beverage products and all 'iQuality' brand frozen confections. Letters were sent to the concerned authorities of Indonesia and Malaysia requesting them to conduct thorough investigations into and report on the causes of the incidents as well as provide information on measures taken to review and improve the production processes," the spokesman said.

     The spokesman said the FEHD will continue to closely monitor the situation and take appropriate follow-up action to ensure food safety and safeguard public health. Prosecution action will be taken should there be sufficient evidence.

Ends/Thursday, August 21, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:13

NNNN

Print this page