CFS announces food safety report for July

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (August 29) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 11 600 food samples tested were found to be satisfactory except for four samples which were announced earlier, i.e. two fresh beef samples detected with sulphur dioxide (a preservative not permitted to be used in fresh meat), a bottled soybean milk sample and a prepackaged Chinese-style soup sample of the same brand found with excessive Bacillus cereus, a pathogen. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.

A CFS spokesman said about 4 300 food samples had been taken for chemical tests. Some 1 500 samples were collected for microbiological tests and the remaining 5 800 (including about 5 600 samples taken from food imported from Japan) were collected for testing of radiation levels.

The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygienic indicators, while the chemical tests were aimed at detecting pesticides, preservatives, metallic contamination, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues, plasticisers and others.

The samples comprised about 3 400 samples of vegetables and fruits and their products; 700 samples of meat and poultry and their products; 1 600 samples of aquatic and related products; 900 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; 600 samples of cereals, grains and their products; and 4 500 samples of other food commodities.

The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that their food is fit for consumption and meets legal requirements. The trade should also maintain a good recording system in accordance with the Food Safety Ordinance to allow source tracing if needed.

Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risk.

Furthermore, while following up on an unsatisfactory sample of milk which failed to comply with the legal requirement for milk fat as announced in the Food Safety Report for June, the CFS found unsatisfactory samples from three batches of milk of the same brand contained milk fat at levels between 2.98 per cent and 3.2 per cent, below the legal requirement of not less than 3.25 per cent.

"The samples were collected at the import level and most of the affected product has been marked and sealed. The importer concerned has initiated a product recall of the batches in question, while other batches of the same product will not be affected. Although consuming milk with milk fat below the legal requirement would not pose any health concern, the samples did not meet the legal definition as stated in the composition of milk and the legitimate expectation of its consumers," the spokesman said.

The CFS has informed the Australian authorities of an import suspension of "pure milk" of this particular brand manufactured by the same factory, regardless of packaging, to facilitate investigation and taking of necessary remedial measures by the Australian authorities and the manufacturer. The CFS will monitor the recall of the affected product and continue to follow up on the incident.
Ends/Friday, August 29, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:38