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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) announced today (January 16) the first batch of test results of Lunar New Year food samples. Of the 516 samples collected for chemical and microbiological tests, three were found unsatisfactory.
The samples included festive cakes, turnip puddings, sesame balls, crispy triangles, melon seeds, sweetened fruits and vegetables, glutinous rice balls, vegetarian foods, preserved meat, dried seafood and "poon choi". Chemical tests targeted preservatives, colouring matters, sweeteners, metallic contamination, pesticides and aflatoxins, while microbiological tests covered pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella.
All the samples passed the microbiological tests.
For the chemical tests, two samples of sweetened winter-melon were found to contain preservative sulphur dioxide at levels of 2,800ppm and 4,700ppm respectively, exceeding the permitted level of 2,000ppm. A sample of Chinese pork sausage was found to contain non-permitted colouring matter "Red 2G".
"Sulphur dioxide is of low toxicity, but people who are allergic to it may experience respiratory discomfort, headaches and nausea. At the levels of sulphur dioxide detected, the concerned sweetened winter-melon should not cause adverse health effects with normal consumption. The immediate health risk of consuming food containing 'Red 2G' is low; however, with long term consumption, the risk of causing cancer cannot be excluded.
"Regarding the unsatisfactory samples, the CFS has issued warning letters to the shops concerned and is tracing the sources. The centre has also requested them to stop selling the concerned products," a CFS spokesman said.
People should purchase foods from reliable shops. They should purchase pre-packaged foods first and live poultry, meat and seafood last. For prepackaged foods, remember to check whether the packaging is intact and look at the expiry date. Raw and cooked foods should be stored separately to avoid cross contamination. To stay healthy, always remember to keep a balanced diet without overindulging in foods that are high in fat, sugar or salt. People may browse the CFS website (www.cfs.gov.hk) for more food safety tips.
Ends/Friday, January 16, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:28
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