**********************************
ˇ@ˇ@The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (July 24) released its third Food Safety Report for 2008, which included food surveillance results for May and June.
ˇ@ˇ@Announcing the results at a press conference, Assistant Director (Food Surveillance and Control) of the CFS, Dr Miranda S Y Lee, said about 10,200 food samples were tested. Among them, some 3,900 samples were taken for microbiological tests and about 6,100 for chemical tests.
ˇ@ˇ@"The overall satisfactory rate is 99.8%, with 19 samples being found unsatisfactory," she said.
ˇ@ˇ@While microbiological tests cover pathogenic bacteria and viruses, chemical tests are to detect sweeteners, preservatives, metallic contamination, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and pesticides.
ˇ@ˇ@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
-------------------------------
ˇ@ˇ@About 3,800 samples of vegetables, fruits and their products were taken for microbiological and chemical tests. There were three unsatisfactory samples.
ˇ@ˇ@On pesticides, tests were conducted for four main types covering more than 100 pesticides (such as DDT, methamidophos and hexachlorocyclohexane). A sample of green salad was found to contain a trace amount of methamidophos (2ppm).
ˇ@ˇ@For metallic contamination, tests included cadmium, arsenic, and lead. A Chinese parsley sample and a spinach sample were found to contain cadmium at a level of 0.23ppm and 0.41ppm respectively, exceeding the permitted level of 0.1ppm.
ˇ@ˇ@All samples tested for preservatives, colouring matters and micro-organisms had satisfactory results.
Meat, poultry and products
--------------------------
ˇ@ˇ@The CFS collected about 1,100 samples of meat, poultry and their products for microbiological and chemical tests. There were five unsatisfactory samples.
ˇ@ˇ@Regarding tests for veterinary drug residues, a sample of frozen suckling pig was found to contain chlortetracycline (0.13ppm) and sulfonamides (0.27ppm), both exceeding the permitted level of 0.1ppm.
ˇ@ˇ@On food additives, sulphur dioxide, which is not permitted in meat, was found in a fresh bovine liver sample (120ppm) and a barbecued pork sample (18ppm). A Thai-style ˇ§Jar Yokˇ¨ meat sample and a salami sausage sample were found to contain sorbic acid, at a level of 130ppm and 140ppm respectively. The preservative is not permitted to be used in these foods.
ˇ@ˇ@All samples tested for pathogens and colouring matters had satisfactory results.
Aquatic products
----------------
ˇ@ˇ@About 700 samples (including freshwater fish, seawater fish and shellfish) were tested for micro-organisms, chemicals and toxins and all found satisfactory.
Milk, milk products and frozen confections
------------------------------------------
ˇ@ˇ@The CFS took some 2,200 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections for microbiological and chemical analyses. No pathogens were detected.
ˇ@ˇ@A sample of soft ice-cream was found to contain coliform organisms, a hygiene indicator, at a level of 570 per gramme, exceeding the legal standard (less than 100 per gramme).
Cereals, grains and products
----------------------------
ˇ@ˇ@About 200 samples were analysed for micro-organisms and chemicals, with three being found unsatisfactory, including two samples of instant noodles and a sample of fried noodle.
ˇ@ˇ@Among the instant noodle samples, the seasoning oil of a sample was found to contain anti-oxidant TBHQ at the level of 220ppm, exceeding the permitted level of 200ppm. The chilli sauce of another sample was found to contain sulphur dioxide (9.4ppm), which is not permitted to be used in this food.
ˇ@ˇ@A sample of fried noodle was found to contain Bacillus cereus at a level of 1.1 million per gramme.
ˇ@ˇ@On tests for metallic contamination, colouring matters and pesticide residues, all the samples were satisfactory.
Other food commodities
----------------------
ˇ@ˇ@About 2,300 samples including snacks, dim sum, sushi, sashimi, condiments and sauces were tested. Apart from one unsatisfactory sample of fried fritter announced previously, there were six unsatisfactory samples.
ˇ@ˇ@Clostridium perfringens were present in two rice samples at 360,000 and 5.2 million per gramme respectively. Another rice sample and a walnut dessert sample were found to have Bacillus cereus at 160,000 and 1.4 million per gramme respectively.
ˇ@ˇ@On colouring matters, a prickly ash sample and a bun sample were found to contain non-permitted Rhodamine B. The prickly ash sample was also found to contain non-permitted Crocein Scarlet 3B.
Summing up
----------
ˇ@ˇ@"Of the current round of food sample results, most of the exceedances or breaches were not serious and would not pose immediate health risks," Dr Lee said.
ˇ@ˇ@"On the food samples detected with pathogens, the breaches could be indications of unsatisfactory hygiene conditions during food processing and production.ˇ¨
ˇ@ˇ@She reminded traders that the hot summer was the peak season for food poisoning outbreaks and they should strengthen hygienic practices to ensure food safety. They should also avoid preparing food pre-maturely, and store food at suitable temperature (either four degrees Celsius or below; or 60 degrees Celsius or above). The food should be thoroughly cooked, and reheated thoroughly with the centre temperature at or above 75 degrees Celsius before consumption.
ˇ@ˇ@Dr Lee said the rest of the unsatisfactory samples were mainly related to the use of excessive or non-permitted food additives or the detection of excessive veterinary drug residues.
ˇ@ˇ@She urged the food trade to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practice and comply with legal requirements.
ˇ@ˇ@"Regarding the unsatisfactory samples, the CFS has taken follow-up action, including tracing the source of food in question, asking concerned vendors to stop selling and to dispose of those food items, taking further samples and issuing warning letters. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution will also be taken," she said.
Ends/Thursday, July 24, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:17
NNNN