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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (January 16) announced that a sample of loose-pack dried apricot was found to contain sulphur dioxide, a preservative, at a level exceeding the legal limit, following an unsatisfactory loose-pack dried apricot sample collected from the same vendor last month. The CFS is following up on the case.
"Subsequent to finding a loose-pack dried apricot sample with excessive sulphur dioxide in a supermarket in Tai Po last month, the CFS collected another loose-pack dried apricot sample from a different batch from the same supermarket during its follow-up investigation. The test results showed that the sample contained sulphur dioxide at a level of 3 000 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 2 000 ppm," a CFS spokesman said.
Sulphur dioxide is a commonly used preservative in a variety of foods including dried fruits, pickled vegetables and meat products.
"Occasional consumption of the above-mentioned dried apricot with sulphur dioxide is unlikely to pose any adverse health effect to consumers. However, long-term consumption may affect the digestive system. For individuals who are allergic to this preservative, there may be symptoms of breathing difficulty, headache and nausea," the spokesman said.
The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the above-mentioned result and instructed the vendor to stop the sale of the food concerned, and is tracing the source and distribution of the food item in question. Investigation is ongoing.
The spokesman reminded the food trade that the use of preservatives in food must comply with the Preservatives in Food Regulation. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction. Members of the public should buy food from reliable suppliers, and maintain a balanced diet so as to avoid excessive intake of certain harmful substances as a result of frequent consumption of a small range of food items.
Ends/Friday, January 16, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:05
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