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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (August 5) released its Food Safety Report for June, which covered food surveillance results for the month.
¡@¡@ About 5,600 food samples were tested in June. Among them, about 4,000 were taken for chemical tests and about 1,500 for microbiological and other tests. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.6%, with 24 samples being found unsatisfactory.
¡@¡@ While microbiological tests cover pathogens and viruses, chemical tests are to detect sweeteners, preservatives, metallic contamination, etc.
¡@¡@ 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.
Milk, milk products and frozen confections
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¡@¡@ The CFS took about 1,100 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections for microbiological and chemical analyses. Apart from the six unsatisfactory samples of ice-cream which were announced earlier, there were 10 other unsatisfactory samples.
¡@¡@ Five samples of ice-cream bars of the same batch and five samples of ice-cream of the same batch were found to contain coliform organisms at levels ranging from 570 to 990 per gramme and 140 to 230 per gramme respectively, exceeding the legal limit of 100 per gramme for these types of food.
¡@¡@ The concerned samples were from the first consignments of two brand new products imported into Hong Kong. All samples were collected at import level for hold and test. Upon receiving the results, all affected batches of products have been marked and sealed. No stock has been released into the market.
Vegetables, fruits and products
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¡@¡@ About 2,100 samples of vegetables, fruit and their products were taken for microbiological and chemical tests. A fresh mushroom sample was found to contain the heavy metal cadmium at a level of 0.24ppm, exceeding the legal limit of 0.1ppm.
¡@¡@ All the samples tested for pathogens, pesticides, preservatives 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 beef sample was found to contain sulphur dioxide, which is a preservative not permitted to be used in fresh meat, at a level of 8,200ppm.
¡@¡@ All the samples tested for pathogens, veterinary drug residues and colouring matters were satisfactory.
Aquatic products
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¡@¡@ About 500 samples, including fish, shellfish and their products, were analysed for micro-organisms, chemicals and biotoxins. There were three unsatisfactory samples.
¡@¡@ A frozen scampi sample was found to contain the heavy metal cadmium at a level of 16ppm, exceeding the legal limit of 2ppm.
¡@¡@ A sample of dried fish maw was found to contain the preservative sulphur dioxide at a level of 48ppm, which was above the legal limit of 30ppm.
¡@¡@ For tests on veterinary drug residues, a grouper sample was found to contain metabolite of nitrofuran at a level of 0.0023ppm.
¡@¡@ All the results for pathogens and biotoxins were satisfactory.
Cereals, grains and products
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¡@¡@ About 100 samples were tested for micro-organisms and chemicals and all were satisfactory.
Other food commodities
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¡@¡@ About 1,200 samples including snacks, dim sum, sushi, sashimi, condiments and sauces were tested and all of them passed the micro-biological tests.
¡@¡@ For chemical tests, apart from one unsatisfactory sample of sweet soup announced earlier, there were two other unsatisfactory samples.
¡@¡@ A sample of tartar sauce was found to contain benzoic acid at a level of 660ppm. The sample was also found to contain sorbic acid at a level of 650ppm. The sum of the proportion of individual levels of these two preservatives detected has exceeded the legal standard.
¡@¡@ A sample of sesame flavoured crispy sticks was found to contain the non-permitted sweetener stevioside.
Conclusion
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¡@¡@ "Of the test results announced today, the exceedances or breaches were not serious," a CFS spokesman said.
¡@¡@ The breaches included excessive or illegal use of food preservatives, veterinary drug residues, colouring matters or metallic contamination. The spokesman urged the food trade to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practices and comply with legal requirements.
¡@¡@ "The excessive levels of coliform organisms detected in some samples of ice-cream and ice-cream bars indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory. Importers of frozen confections are reminded to procure from reliable manufacturers to ensure that the frozen confections have been properly disinfected during production, and good hygienic conditions are always maintained at the production line and the plant,¡¨ the spokesman said.
¡@¡@ "Consumers should buy food from reliable shops and maintain a balanced diet.
¡@¡@ "The CFS has taken follow-up action 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 be taken."
Ends/Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:01
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