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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) recently completed a popular food items survey on traditional local snacks and released the results today (December 30).
A total of 308 samples of traditional local snacks were collected from supermarkets, retail shops, restaurants and food factories for chemical and microbiological tests. Chemical analyses included colouring matters, preservatives, anti-oxidants and aflatoxins. Microbiological tests covered pathogens such as Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens.
The samples of traditional local snacks included:
* preserved fruits, including preserved prune, preserved lemon, preserved plum, preserved tangerine and preserved pummelo;
* traditional cakes, such as chicken biscuit, fried rice cracker, wife cake, lime preserved egg cookie and Chinese almond cookie;
* Indigenous snacks, like steamed rice cup cake, sesame roll, steamed white sugar cake and doughnut;
* crispy snacks, including crispy egg floss, cow ear cookies and crispy "Ma Fa";
* traditional sweets, such as peanut candies, dragon's beard candy and maltose;
* peanuts, legumes and nuts, like Nam Yu peanut, peanut cracker and stir-fried chestnut; and
*Others, including vegetarian liver, vegetarian sausage, grilled squid snack and "lo mei".
Apart from a sample of rice cracker with peanuts (detected with aflatoxins) and a sample of "lo shui" cuttlefish (detected with Staphylococcus aureus) which have been announced in the Food Safety Report for October, two other samples were found unsatisfactory.
A sample of preserved pummelo was found to contain the preservative benzoic acid at a level of 1,400ppm, exceeding the legal limit of 800ppm. A sample of vegetarian sausage was also found to contain the same preservative, which is not allowed to be used in that type of food, at a level of 2,200ppm.
"Based on the levels of benzoic 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 a snack shop and a fast food shop. We have taken follow-up action, including issuing warning letters to the operators concerned. Prosecution will be taken if there is sufficient evidence."
The spokesman reminded traders to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practices and comply with legal requirements. They should also follow the "Five Keys to Food Safety" to prevent food poisoning.
"People are reminded to buy food from licensed and reliable shops. They should pay attention to the package and storage of the food, avoid buying food which is improperly stored (such as not covered properly) or consuming food which passes the expiry date, looks rotten or moist, tastes abnormal or with changed colour. People should also maintain a balanced diet to avoid food safety risks," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:37
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