Regarding a suspected food poisoning clusters announced on 7 August, the Centre for Food Safety has conducted a preliminary investigation and has the following recommendations for food premises' reference:
| Food poisoning cases |
- The cluster involved 24 males and 31 females, aged 7 to 49.
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| Location of alleged food premises |
Tai Po |
| Suspected incriminated food item |
Penne Carbonara
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| Suspected contributing factors |
- Food might be contaminated by Clostridium perfingens (Foods including gravies and sauces held at room temperature for prolonged period provide favourable conditions for the growth of Clostridium perfringens)
|
| Advice |
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Cook food thoroughly and serve cooked food as soon as possible, or keep the food at 60°C or above if it is not consumed immediately.
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Pre-cooked food subjected to cold storage should be cooled from 60°C to 20°C within 2 hours; and from 20°C to 4°C inside a chiller within the next 4 hours.
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Reduce the cooling time of cooked food, for example, by dividing into small portions, placing in shallow containers and/or placing in ice bath.
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Reheat cooked food thoroughly till the core temperature reaches at least 75°C or bring it to a boil.
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Centre for Food Safety
8/8/2023