Go to main content
 
CFS finds trace amount of antibiotic in honey sample
****************************************************
     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 26) announced that a sample of bottled honey was detected to contain a trace amount of metronidazole, an antibiotic. The CFS is following up on the case.
      
     Details of the product are as follows:
 
Product: Mixed Flower Honey
Distributor: Po Sang Yuen Bee Farm (HK) Ltd
Net weight: 1,000 grams per bottle
Best-before date: December 30, 2020
 
     "The CFS collected the above-mentioned honey sample from an online shop for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained metronidazole at a level of 1.4 parts per billion. The CFS has notified the vendor concerned of the test result and instructed it to stop selling the affected batch of the product. The Centre is tracing the source and distribution of the food in question," a CFS spokesman said.
      
     "According to the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), residues of metronidazole or its metabolites may cause significant health concerns, and competent authorities should prevent residues of metronidazole in food," he added.
      
     According to section 52 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, any person who sells to a purchaser any food which is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser shall be guilty of an offence. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for three months upon conviction.
      
     The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.
 
 
Ends/Friday, April 26, 2019
Issued at HKT 18:33
NNNN
Today's Press Releases