The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 26) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 4 100 food samples tested were satisfactory except for nine samples that were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8 per cent.
      
     A CFS spokesman said about 900 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, about 3 200 samples were taken for chemical and radiation level tests.
      
     The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators, the chemical tests included pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others, while the radiation level tests included testing of radioactive caesium and iodine from samples collected from imported food of different regions.
      
     The samples comprised about 1 700 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 300 samples of cereals, grains and their products; about 300 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 500 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 600 samples of aquatic and related products; and about 700 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
      
     The nine unsatisfactory samples comprised two frozen confection samples detected with counts of hygiene indicator organisms exceeding the legal limits, a goldfish sample found to contain trace amounts of malachite green, a prepackaged date sample found to contain sorbic acid and sulphur dioxide and in breach of the food labelling regulation, a crab sample detected with excessive cadmium, a pork sample found to contain sulphur dioxide, a rice roll sample detected with excessive benzoic acid, a chayote sample detected with excessive methomyl residue, and a sample of prepackaged ice-cream product found with a quantity of milk solids, other than fat, not in compliance with the legal requirement.
      
     The CFS has taken follow-up action on the unsatisfactory samples including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
      
     The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food for sale is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.

Ends/Friday, February 26, 2021
Issued at HKT 15:00

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