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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) recently completed a survey on popular food items: Hong Kong-style desserts and released the results today (June 25).
A total of 300 samples of Hong Kong-style desserts were collected from restaurants, retail outlets and food factories for chemical and microbiological tests. All of them passed the microbiological tests.
For chemical tests, four samples - one mung bean sweet soup with root starch jelly, one bean curd sheet sweet soup with root starch jelly and its follow-up sample and one follow-up sample of root starch jelly collected at the concerned supplier - were found to contain the non-permitted preservative boric acid, at levels ranging from 830ppm to 11,000ppm.
The samples of Hong Kong-style desserts included:
*sweet soups, like mung bean sweet soup, red bean sweet soup, grapefruit and sago sweet soup, sago sweet soup, black glutinous rice sweet soup, sesame sweet soup, almond sweet soup, walnut sweet soup and sweet potato sweet soup;
*cakes and puddings, such as steamed rice cup cake, white sugar sponge cake, red bean pudding, mung bean pudding, "Mai-lai" cake, yellow bean with coconut pudding, agar pudding and osmanthus pudding.
Microbiological tests covered pathogens such as Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens. Chemical analyses included colouring matters, sweeteners, preservatives, anti-oxidants and aflatoxin.
"Based on the levels of boric acid detected in the unsatisfactory samples, normal consumption should not pose any adverse health effect on consumers," a spokesman for the CFS said.
"These samples were collected from two food premises and a grocery. We have taken follow-up action, including issuing warning letters to the operators concerned. Prosecution will be taken if there is sufficient evidence."
Meanwhile, the CFS has also completed two targeted surveillance projects on the microbiological quality of lunch boxes and prepackaged food that require reheating before consumption. All the results were satisfactory.
The CFS collected 300 samples of lunch boxes from food factories for tests for pathogens. For prepackaged food that requires reheating before consumption, 200 samples, including meal boxes (such as rice and spaghetti dishes), snacks (like chicken wings and legs and sausages), dim sum and pizzas, were taken from convenience stores and supermarkets for tests.
The pathogens tested included Bacillus cereus, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens and Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
"Although all the results were satisfactory, the food trade is reminded to follow the 'Five Keys to Food Safety' in food production, namely to choose safe raw materials, keep hands and utensils clean, separate raw and cooked food, cook thoroughly and keep food at a safe temperature," the spokesman said.
"Schools and institutions are advised to keep lunch boxes in insulated containers above 60 degrees Celsius until consumption and shorten the storage time as far as practicable. Do not reheat lunch boxes or add gravies to them at the place of consumption. Any food with abnormalities detected should not be consumed.
"Members of the public are reminded to buy lunch boxes from reliable shops and suppliers and consume them as soon as possible after purchase. For prepackaged food that requires reheating before consumption, do not choose those with damaged packing or that are not properly stored in the refrigerator. Follow the instructions on the package to reheat the food thoroughly and consume soon after reheating."
Ends/Thursday, June 25, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:31
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