Food contaminants are any harmful substances unintentionally added to food, which may be chemicals from natural sources, environmental pollution, or formed during food processing. You can learn more about contaminants that may be affecting you here.

Acrylamide

• Acrylamide in Food

Aflatoxin

• Aflatoxin in Food

Antimony

• Risk Assessment Studies - Dietary Exposure To Antimony of Secondary School Students

Arsenic

• The first Hong Kong Total Diet Study: Inorganic Arsenic
• Food Safety Focus - Arsenic and Food Safety
• Food Safety Focus - Arsenic in Fish
• Food Safety Focus - Arsenic in Food
• Food Safety Focus - Arsenic in Pear Juice
• Risk Assessment Studies - Dietary Exposure to Heavy Metals of Secondary Students
• Risk in Brief - Hijiki and Arsenic

Cadmium

• Food Safety Focus - Cadmium in Rice
• Food Safety Focus - Cadmium and Food Safety
• Food Safety Focus - Cadmium in Oysters
• Risk Assessment Studies - Dietary Exposure to Heavy Metals of Secondary Students
• Risk in Brief - Cadmium in Food

Chloropropanols

• Dietary Exposure to Chloropropanols of Secondary School Students

Clenbuterol

• Food Legislation / Guidelines - Harmful Substances in Food Regulations
• Risk in Brief - Clenbuterol in Pork and Pig Offal

DDT

• Food Safety Focus - DDT Residues and Food Safety
• Risk Assessment Studies - Dietary Exposure to DDT of Secondary School Students

Dioxins

• The first Hong Kong Total Diet Study: Dioxins and Dioxin-like Polychlorinated Biphenyls(PCBs)
• Dioxins in Food
• Food Safety Focus - Dioxins in Irish Pork
• Risk Assessment Studies - Dietary Exposure to Dioxins of Secondary School Students
• Risk in Brief - Dioxins in Foods

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

• Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Food

Ethyl Carbamate

• Ethyl Carbamate in Food

Heavy Metals

• Food Safety Focus - Heavy Metals in Dried Oysters
• Risk Assessment Studies - Dietary Exposure to Heavy Metals of Secondary Students

Histamine

• Food Alert - Recall of Salted Fish in Oil Due to the Presence of High Level of Histamine
• Risk Assessment Studies - Histamine in canned fish and tuna sandwiches
• Food Safety Focus - Scombroid Fish Poisoning

Lead

• Food Safety Focus - Lead Exposure in Our Everyday Life
• Risk Assessment Studies - Dietary Exposure to lead of secondary school students

Malachite Green

• Food Safety Focus - Nitrofuran, Malachite Green and Canned Pork Products
• Food Safety Focus - Malachite Green Found in Freshwater Fish
• Risk in Brief - Malachite Green in Foods

Melamine

• Melamine

Mercury

• Mercury in Fish – For Women Planning for Pregnancy, Expectant and Lactating Mothers
• Food Safety Focus - Mercury in Fish and Food Safety
• Food Safety Focus - Mercury and Food Safety
• Food Safety Focus - Mercury in Seafood
• Risk Assessment Studies - Dietary Exposure to Heavy Metals of Secondary Students
• Risk Assessment Studies - Dietary Exposure to Mercury of Secondary School Students (Follow-up Report)
• Risk Assessment Studies - Mercury in Fish and Food Safety
• Risk in Brief - Risk of Mercury in Fish

Nitrofuran

• Food Safety Focus - Nitrofuran, Malachite Green and Canned Pork Products

Ochratoxin

• Risk Assessment Studies - Ochratoxin A in Food

Patulin

• Risk Assessment Studies - Patulin in Apple Juice (Chinese version only)

PAHs

• Risk Assessment Studies - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Barbecued Meat
• Risk in Brief - Risk of PAHs in Barbecued Meats

Persistent Organic Pollutants

• Food Safety Focus - Persistent Organic Pollutants in Food - Food Safety Implication
• Food Safety Focus - Persistent Organic Pollutants in Food- An Overview

Pesticides

• The First Hong Kong Total Diet Study: Pesticide Residues
• Pesticide Residues in Food
• Food Safety Focus - Tea Leaves and Pesticides
• Food Safety Files - How does the Centre for Food Safety Monitor and Control Vegetables on Sale in Hong Kong
• Food Safety Files - Proactive Measures Taken Regarding Registered Vegetables Farms on the Mainland
• Food Safety Focus - Methamidophos and Dumplings
• Food Safety Focus - Pesticide Residues in Food (Part I)
• Food Safety Focus - Pesticide Residues in Food (Part II)
• Food Safety Focus - Pesticide Residues in Food (Part III)
• Frequently Asked Question - Pesticide Residues in Food
• Risk in Brief - Pesticide Residues in Food

Petroleum

• Food Safety Focus - Petroleum Products in Salmon

Plasticisers in food

• Plasticisers in food

Radioactive Contaminants

• Situation Update of Radiation Tests on Food Imported from Japan

Sudan Dyes

• Food Safety Focus - Sudan Dyes in Food

Toxins

• Food Safety Files - Eating Puffer Fish can result in poisoning
• Food Safety Files - Enjoy Coral Reef Fish but Mind Ciguatoxin Poisoning
• Food Safety Focus - Cyanide Poisoning and Cassava
• Food Safety Focus - Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
• Food Safety Focus - Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Toxins in Scallops
• Food Safety Focus - Tetrodotoxin Poisoning
• Risk in Brief - Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) Toxins

3-MCPD

• Risk Assessment Studies - 3-MCPD in Condiments and Sauces (Chinese version only)
• Risk Assessment Studies - 3 Soy Sauce Products having Contaminant 3-MCPD (Chinese version only)