Food Safety Focus (233rd Issue, Dec 2025) – Article 3

Consume Lap-mei in Moderation

As the weather gets cooler, many people will enjoy the popular winter dish of lap-mei (Chinese preserved meat like Chinese pork/liver sausages, preserved duck/pork) cooked with rice in clay pots for their signature taste and aro-ma. The recent CFS seasonal food surveillance project found that the test results for all 164 lap-mei samples collected locally were satisfactory.

Traditionally, lap-mei is made using basic preservation techniques. Salt is added to draw out moisture, while nitrate is added to cure the meat not only to prevent the growth of the toxin-producing pathogen Clostridium botulinum, but also to impart the signature taste and reddish colour. Lap-mei is therefore typically high in salt and contains nitrate and its metabolite nitrite, the excessive consumption of which should be avoided. To keep this seasonal delicacy part of a balanced diet, pair them with plenty of vegetables and fruits so that the tradition is complemented by good nutrition. Infants are highly susceptible to nitrite toxicity and should avoid consuming lap-mei.