A kind of bottled preserved bean curd contaminated with Bacillus cereus
| Issue Date | 22.1.2015 |
|---|---|
| Source of Information | Centre for Food Safety (CFS) |
| Food Product | Fermented bean curd |
| Product Name and Description | Details of the products are as follows: |
| Reason For Issuing Alert | The preserved bean curd sample was collected at a shop in Sha Tin for testing under the CFS' regular Food Surveillance Programme. Test result showed that the sample contained Bacillus cereus at a level of 260 000 per gram. According to the "Microbiological Guidelines for Food", it is potentially injurious to health or unfit for human consumption if a gram of ready-to-eat food contains more than 100 000 of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea. |
| Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety | The CFS will inform the vendor concerned of the test result, instruct the vendor to stop the sale of the food concerned, and trace the source and distribution of the food item in question. The CFS will inform the Mainland authorities and the local trade, continue to investigate and take appropriate actions to safeguard food safety and public health. |
| Advice to the Trade | The trade should stop selling the affected batch of the product immediately. |
| Advice to Consumers | If consumers have bought and still possess the affected batch of the product, they should stop eating it. Medical advice should be sought if they feel sick upon consumption. |
| Further Information |
Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
2015-1-22