CFS announces food safety report for October
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (November 30) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 5,700 food samples tested were found to be satisfactory except for 15 unsatisfactory samples which were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.7 per cent.
A CFS spokesman said about 1,600 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, and about 4,100 samples were taken for chemical and radiation level tests.
The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators; the chemical tests included testing for pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others; and the radiation level tests included testing for radioactive caesium and iodine in samples collected from imported food from different regions.
The samples comprised about 1,600 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 500 samples of cereals, grains and their products; about 700 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 1,200 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 600 samples of aquatic and related products; and about 1,100 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
The 15 unsatisfactory samples comprised two prepackaged preserved plum samples, a prepackaged scallop-flavoured noodle sample and a prepackaged preserved mustard greens sample in breach of food labelling regulation; two prepackaged white pepper powder samples found with a pesticide, ethylene oxide; two fish ball samples detected with methylmercury at levels that may have contravened the regulations; two milk samples detected with total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit; a prepackaged egg-flavoured noodle sample detected with sulphur dioxide exceeding the legal limit and in breach of food labelling regulation; a marinated pig oviduct sample found to contain Salmonella; an eel sample found to contain a trace amount of metabolite of nitrofuran (AOZ), a non-permitted veterinary drug; a prepackaged cheese sample detected with a preservative exceeding the legal limit and, a banana sample detected with excessive pesticide residue.
The CFS has taken follow-up actions on the above-mentioned unsatisfactory samples including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.
Separately, as the Japanese Government has commenced the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the CFS will continue enhancing the testing on imported Japanese food, and make reference to the risk assessment results to adjust relevant surveillance work in a timely manner. The CSF will announce every working day on its dedicated webpage
(www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/daily_japan_nuclear_incidents.html)
the radiological test results of the samples of food imported from Japan, with a view to enabling the trade and members of the public to have a better grasp of the latest safety information.
Ends/Thursday, November 30, 2023