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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (May 29) released its Food Safety Report for April, which covered food surveillance results for the month.
About 5,200 food samples were tested in April. Among them, about 3,800 were taken for chemical tests and about 1,400 for microbiological and other tests. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8%, with eight samples being found unsatisfactory.
While microbiological tests cover pathogens and viruses, chemical tests are conducted to detect sweeteners, preservatives, metallic contamination, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues, pesticides and melamine.
Samples included vegetables, fruit 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 2,300 samples of vegetables, fruit and their products were taken for microbiological and chemical tests. There were three unsatisfactory samples.
On pesticides, tests were conducted for four main types covering more than 100 pesticides (such as DDT, methamidophos and hexachlorocyclohexane). A leaf mustard sample was found to contain pyridaben at a level of 6.8ppm.
A sample of pickled plum was found to contain the preservative sulphur dioxide at a level of 2,900ppm, exceeding the legal limit of 100ppm for that type of food.
For pathogens tests, a sample of fried water spinach with soybean curd sauce was found to contain Bacillus cereus at a level of 3,400,000 per gramme.
All the samples tested for metallic contamination and colouring matters were satisfactory.
Meat, poultry and products
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The CFS collected about 500 samples of meat, poultry and their products for microbiological and chemical tests. A fresh pork sample was found to contain sulphur dioxide, which is not permitted to be used in fresh meat, at a level of 120ppm.
All the samples tested for pathogens, veterinary drug residues and colouring matters were satisfactory.
Aquatic products
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About 300 samples, including fish, shellfish and their products, were analysed for micro-organisms, chemicals and biotoxins. A sample of chilled raw oyster was found to contain norovirus nucleic acid.
All the results for veterinary drug residues, metallic contamination, biotoxins and preservatives were satisfactory.
Milk, milk products and frozen confections
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The CFS took about 600 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections for microbiological and chemical analyses and all were satisfactory.
Cereals, grains and products
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About 200 samples were tested for micro-organisms and chemicals. A sample of crab chips was found to contain the non-permitted sweetener stevioside.
Other food commodities
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About 1,200 samples including snacks, dim sum, sushi, sashimi, condiments and sauces were also tested. A sample of nopal juice was found to contain the non-permitted sweetener stevioside. A sample of cooked dumpling was found to contain the preservative benzoic acid at a level of 210ppm, exceeding the legal limit of 20.46ppm for that particular food sample (calculated in terms of proportion of ingredients used).
Conclusion
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"Of the test results announced today, the exceedances or breaches were not serious," a CFS spokesman said.
The breaches were mainly excessive or illegal use of food preservatives or colouring matters. The spokesman urged the trade to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practice and comply with legal requirements.
"For the level of pyridaben detected in the leaf mustard sample, occasional intake should not cause adverse health effects, but in the long run could exceed the safety level. Animal studies have showed that long-term intake of the pesticide may reduce appetite and slow down weight gain," the spokesman said.
"Regarding the food sample detected with pathogen, the breaches could indicate unsatisfactory hygiene conditions during food processing, especially improper holding temperature and inadequate cooking of food. As summer has arrived, the food trade should strictly follow the 'Five Keys to Food Safety' in handling food to minimise food poisoning risks and prevent food-borne diseases in hot weather.
"The public should patronise reliable shops and maintain a balanced diet. High risk foods such as marine bivalves should be thoroughly cooked before consumption to reduce food risks.
"The CFS has taken follow-up actions in respect of the unsatisfactory samples. These include tracing the food sources, asking concerned vendors to stop selling and to dispose of the affected food, taking further samples and issuing warning letters. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution will also be taken."
Ends/Friday, May 29, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:30
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