CFS follows up on listeriosis case

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 19) that while following up on a case of listeriosis, the CFS had detected Listeria monocytogenes in the food and environmental samples taken from a food premises concerned. Follow-up is in progress.

A spokesman for the CFS said, "Upon notification of a case of listeriosis from the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, the CFS immediately conducted investigation at the suspected food premises, a sushi take-away shop located at shop A, ground floor, Luen Tai Building, 93-99 Wan Chai Road in Wan Chai, and took food and environmental samples from the premises for testing. Test results showed that a sushi rice sample (with salmon, eel, seaweed, egg and whelk) contained Listeria monocytogenes at a level of 250 colony-forming units per gram and the pathogen was also detected on an environmental sample taken from a chopping board."

The spokesman said that the CFS had notified the food premises concerned of the unsatisfactory test results and instructed it to stop supplying the affected food immediately. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene for the person-in-charge and staff of the food premises. The food premises has voluntarily surrendered all food for disposal and suspended business for thorough cleansing and disinfection upon the advice of the CFS.

Meanwhile, based on the information provided by the food premises, the CFS has also conducted inspections to the two food suppliers which supplied food to the food premises concerned, and has collected food and environmental samples for testing. Test results are pending.

Listeriosis is usually caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes which can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in the newborns.

"The CFS advises those belonging to the high-risk groups, i.e. pregnant women, infants, the elderly, chronic disease patients and those with a weaker immune system, to avoid eating high-risk food, such as soft cheese and smoked seafood, so as to reduce the risk of Listeriosis", the spokesman said.

The CFS will continue to investigate and follow up on the incident, and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. Prosecution will be initiated should there be sufficient evidence.


Ends/Thursday, November 19, 2015