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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (September 27) released its fourth Food Safety Report for 2007, which included food surveillance results for July and August.
Announcing the results at a press conference, Assistant Director (Food Surveillance and Control) of the CFS, Dr Constance Chan, said some 12,800 food samples were tested in July and August. Among them, some 4,400 samples were taken for microbiological tests and about 8,200 for chemical tests.
"The overall satisfactory rate is 99.4%, with 79 samples found unsatisfactory. Most of the exceedances or breaches were not serious and would not pose immediate health risks," she said.
While microbiological tests cover pathogenic bacteria and viruses, chemical tests are conducted to detect sweeteners, preservatives, heavy metals, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and pesticides.
Food samples tested included vegetables, fruits and their products; meat, poultry and their products; aquatic products; milk, milk products and frozen confections; and cereals, grains and their products.
Vegetables, fruits and products
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About 4,900 vegetable, fruit and their product samples were taken for microbiological and chemical tests. There were 52 unsatisfactory samples.
On pesticides, tests were conducted for four main types covering more than 100 pesticides (such as DDT, methamidophos and hexachlorocyclohexane). Six samples (including Chinese white cabbage, celery, Chinese lettuce, lettuce and green pepper) were found to contain trace amounts of methamidophos (from 1.9ppm to 4ppm).
For heavy metals, tests included cadmium, arsenic, and lead. Five samples (including watercress, mushroom, mixed baby greens and Romaine hearts) were found to contain cadmium (from 0.19ppm to 0.63ppm), exceeding the permitted level.
For colouring matters, Brilliant Blue FCF, which is not permitted for fresh vegetables, was detected in a sample of green peas.
The current round of results for vegetables, fruits and products also included a targeted food surveillance on the use of preservatives, including sulphur dioxide, benzoic acid and sorbic acid. Twenty-five samples of preserved vegetables (including mustard greens, rakkyo, ginger, chillies and choi sum) were found to contain sulphur dioxide (from 200ppm to 710ppm) and/or benzoic acid (from 320ppm to 1,600ppm). Fifteen samples of preserved fruits (including dried raisins, apricots, plums, blueberries, kumquat and olives) were found to contain sulphur dioxide (from 560ppm to 4,200ppm), benzoic acid (760ppm), or sorbic acid (from 160ppm to 2,300ppm). All the preservatives detected had exceeded the legal limits.
Meat, poultry and products
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The CFS collected some 1,700 samples of meat, poultry and their products for microbiological and chemical tests. All samples tested for veterinary drug residues, colouring matters and preservatives were satisfactory. A plain chicken sample was found to contain pathogen Staphylococcus aureus at a level of 480,000 per gramme.
Aquatic product
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About 700 samples (including freshwater fish, seawater fish and shellfish) were analysed for micro-organisms, chemicals and toxins. Apart from the unsatisfactory spicy cuttlefish sample announced earlier, there were seven unsatisfactory results.
Regarding the tests for veterinary drug residues, four samples (catfish, channel catfish, edible goldfish and amur catfish) were found to contain malachite green ranging from 0.0033ppm to 0.57ppm. The amur catfish, a swamp eel and a snakehead samples were found to contain nitrofurans (from 0.0038ppm to 0.19ppm). All the six unsatisfactory samples were taken from consignments without health certificates. The entire batch had been disposed of.
Concerning tests for pathogens, Salmonella was present in 25 grammes of a Mantis shrimp sample.
For colouring matters, except the spicy cuttlefish sample which contained Sudan dye announced earlier, all the sample results were satisfactory.
All samples tested for biotoxins and heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and cadmium had satisfactory results.
Milk, milk products and frozen confections
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The CFS took some 1,900 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections for microbiological and chemical analyses. No pathogens were detected in them.
Regarding the tests for hygiene indicators (total bacterial count, coliform organisms and colony count), apart from the unsatisfactory sample of an ice-cream mooncake announced earlier, there were 13 unsatisfactory results.
Three ice-cream samples were found to have total bacterial counts ranging from 98,000 to 350,000 per gramme. Nine samples of watermelon juice based bars and strawberry cream based bars were found to contain coliform organisms ranging from 120 to 280 per gramme. One milk beverage sample was found to have colony count of more than 10. All the detected levels were above the legal standards.
Cereals, grains and products
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About 900 samples were analysed for micro-organisms and chemicals. Apart from the two unsatisfactory samples of rice cracker with Acid Red 52 and corn chip with Sudan dyes announced earlier, all the sample results were satisfactory.
Other food commodities
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Some 2,600 samples including snacks, dim sum, sushi, sashimi, condiments and sauces were also tested. A sample of macaroni with eggs and ham and a sample of bean curd dessert were found to contain pathogen Bacillus cereus (270,000 and 140,000 per gramme respectively).
Summing up
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"Of the current round of food sample results announced, most of the exceedances or breaches were not serious and would not pose immediate health risks," Dr Chan said.
"The samples detected with Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and Bacillus cereus may cause gastrointestinal discomfort such as abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
"We observe that a number of unsatisfactory samples were related to the use of excessive or non-permitted food additives," she said.
She urged the food trade to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practice and comply with legal requirements.
Dr Chan advised people to thoroughly wash vegetables before cooking as most pesticides, such as methamidophos, were water soluble.
"Regarding the unsatisfactory samples, the CFS has taken follow-up actions, including tracing the source of the food in question, asking concerned vendors to stop selling and to dispose of those food items, taking follow-up samples and issuing warning letters. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution action will also be taken," she said.
Ends/Thursday, September 27, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:45
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