Not to consume a kind of cheese from Italy with possible Shiga toxin-producing E. coli contamination

Issue Date 2.11.2020
Source of Information

Centre for Food Safety

Food Product

Cheese

Product Name and Description

Product name: FONTINA D.O.P.

Place of origin: Italy

Producer: COOPERATIVA PRODUTTORI LATTE E FONTINA SOC. COOP.A.R.L.

Importer: Bravo Fine Foods Limitedand New Food Project Limited

Lot: LOTTO C261

Best-before date: November 19, 2020

Reason For Issuing Alert
  • The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that the above-mentioned product might have been contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and is being recalled.
  • Preliminary investigation found that two local importers, Bravo Fine Foods Limited and New Food Project Limited, had imported some of the affected product into Hong Kong.
  • People will contract STEC-causing gastro-intestinal disease through consumption of contaminated water or undercooked and contaminated foods. Intestinal bleeding and serious complications such as hemolytic uraemic syndrome may also develop in some people.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety
  • The CFS immediately contacted local major importers and retailers for follow-up.
  • The importers have initiated a recall according to the CFS' instructions.
Advice to the Trade
  • The trade should stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.
Advice to Consumers
  • Consumers should not consume the affected batches of the product if they have bought any.
  • Enquiries about the recall can be made to the hotlines of Bravo Fine Foods Limited and New Food Project Limited at 3528 0348 and 5248 8527 respectively during office hours.
Further Information

The CFS press release

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
2020-11-2

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