Unsatisfactory ice-cream sample announced

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 6) announced that a sample of ice-cream in durian flavour was found to contain a coliform count exceeding the legal limit. The CFS will continue to follow up on the case.

A CFS spokesman said, "The vendor concerned is a licensed restaurant in Yuen Long. Following up on an unsatisfactory sample of soft ice-cream in durian flavour sold by a shop with the same shop sign in Causeway Bay earlier, the CFS took an ice-cream sample from the restaurant concerned in Yuen Long for testing. The test result showed that the coliform count of the sample was 2,100 per gram, exceeding the legal limit."

Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap. 132 sub. leg. AC), each gram of frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 100 coliform organisms. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment if convicted.

The spokesman said, "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 has informed the vendor of the test result and provided health education on food safety and hygiene for the person-in-charge and staff of the restaurant concerned. The vendor has stopped selling the affected ice-cream."

The CFS will continue to follow up on the case closely to ensure food safety and safeguard public health. Investigation is ongoing.

Ends/Saturday, December 6, 2014