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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 9) announced that a sample of chicken with sesame sauce taken from a restaurant in Sham Shui Po was found to contain an excessive amount of coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms. The CFS will continue to follow up on the case.
A CFS spokesman said, "Following up on a food complaint, the CFS took the above-mentioned chicken sample at the restaurant for testing. The result showed that the sample contained coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms at a level of 43 000 per gram. Under the Microbiological Guidelines for Food, if each gram of ready-to-eat food contains more than 10 000 coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms, it is considered unsatisfactory, i.e. potentially injurious to health and/or unfit for human consumption."
According to Section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), all food for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
"Coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms can produce enterotoxins that cause food poisoning. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, often accompanied by diarrhoea," he added.
The CFS has informed the restaurant operator of the irregularity and instructed the operator to suspend the sale of chicken with sesame sauce. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence. The CFS will continue to follow up on the case.
Ends/Thursday, July 9, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:00
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