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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (May 24) announced that a sample of soft ice-cream was found to contain a total bacterial count and a coliform count exceeding the legal limits. Follow-up is in progress.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "Following up on a food complaint, the CFS collected a sample of soft ice-cream in durian flavour from a licensed food premises with endorsement for selling frozen confections in Yuen Long for testing. The test result showed that the sample contained a total bacterial count of 170 000 per gram and a coliform count of 6 300 per gram, both exceeding the legal limits."
Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap 132 AC), each gram of frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 50 000 bacteria or more than 100 coliform bacteria. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that the total bacterial count and the coliform count exceeded the legal limits indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.
"The CFS has informed the food premises concerned of the irregularity and found the affected soft ice-cream was no longer on sale. The CFS has provided health education on food safety and hygiene for the person-in-charge and staff of the food premises concerned, and has requested them to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection. Should there be sufficient evidence, prosecution will be initiated," the spokesman said.
The CFS will follow up on the case closely and take appropriate action including stepping up inspection to the food premises concerned to safeguard food safety and public health.
Ends/Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Issued at HKT 18:27
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