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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 16) said that while following up on the four kinds of RAW Meal Organic Shake & Meal Replacement products (chocolate, original, vanilla and vanilla chai) produced by Garden of Life, LLC in the United States (US) suspected to be contaminated with salmonella, a pathogen, the CFS found two more vendors which had sold the products under recall. The CFS appealed to the trade again that they should stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they still have them in their possession.
A CFS spokesman said, "Upon receiving a notification from the US Food and Drug Administration that several batches of meal replacement products manufactured by the above-mentioned manufacturer were suspected to be contaminated with salmonella and needed to be recalled, the CFS continues to follow up on the incident. In addition to alerting the public and trade, the CFS is contacting major local importers and conducting sales checks at local outlets. For the sake of prudence, the trade has been advised to stop selling and taking the same kind of food products including those of different batches off the shelves."
"Following preliminary investigation earlier which found that some vendors in Causeway Bay have sold products in the recall list, CFS staff found in further inspection that two vendors, 'Redwood Nutrition House' and 'JustGreen Organic Convenience Store' had sold the incriminated products which needed to be recalled.
"According to the information provided by the vendors concerned, they have stopped selling and removed from shelves the incriminated products. They will also recall the affected products. Members of the public may call the 'Redwood Nutrition House' hotline at 2815 2121 or 'JustGreen Organic Convenience Store' hotline at 2817 0990 during office hours for enquiries about the recall," the spokesman added.
The spokesman said that the trade should stop using or selling the affected products immediately should they have imported and still possess them. At the same time, the spokesman reminded members of the public who had bought the affected product to immediately stop consumption.
"Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and patients with a weak immune system could be more severe and sometimes may even lead to death," he said.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.
Ends/Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Issued at HKT 21:27
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