CFS finds excessive Bacillus cereus in sample of pig oviduct
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A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a restaurant in Lam Tin for testing. The test result showed that the sample contained Bacillus cereus at a level of 4 500 000 per gram. According to the Microbiological Guidelines for Food, if ready-to-eat food contains Bacillus cereus at a level of more than 100 000 per gram, it is considered unsatisfactory."
The CFS instantly sent staff to the restaurant concerned for an investigation, and has informed it of the irregularity. The restaurant has stopped selling the pig oviduct and discarded the relevant food product according to the CFS's advice. The CFS has also provided education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the restaurant, and requested that it improve its food preparation process and carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection.
"Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea," the spokesman said.
According to section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.
Ends/Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:09
Issued at HKT 20:09
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