CFS continues to follow up on soft ice-cream sample detected with coliform bacteria count exceeding legal limits

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     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (May 22) said that subsequent to an announcement yesterday (May 21) that a soft ice-cream sample from a licensed itinerant hawker (mobile van) in Central was found to contain coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit, a follow-up investigation showed that another soft ice-cream sample collected from the same mobile van was also found to contain coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit. This sample was collected before preventive and control measures instituted by the CFS. The follow-up investigation is ongoing.

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS again collected soft ice-cream sample from the mobile van concerned for testing when following up on the related incident yesterday. The test result showed that the sample contained 540 coliform bacteria per gram, exceeding the legal limit. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.

     "The CFS has conducted follow-up investigation of the mobile van concerned again. According to the CFS's advice, the person-in-charge of the licence concerned has already disposed all the affected soft ice-cream and suspended the operation of the mobile van concerned since yesterday and carried out thorough cleaning and disinfection. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge of the licence concerned to ensure that the person-in-charge has adopted relevant improvement measures," the spokesman said.

     Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap. 132AC), frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 100 coliform bacteria per gram. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that the coliform count exceeded the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.

Ends/Friday, May 22, 2026
Issued at HKT 21:56

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