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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 31) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. Of the 9 300 food samples tested, 11 samples were found to be unsatisfactory and the overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.
A CFS spokesman said about 3 000 food samples had been taken for chemical tests. Some 1 100 samples were collected for microbiological tests and the remaining 5 200 (including about 4 000 samples taken from food imported from Japan) for testing of radiation levels.
The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygienic indicators while the chemical tests aimed at detecting pesticides, preservatives, metallic contamination, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues, plasticisers and others.
The samples included vegetables and fruits and their products; meat and poultry and their products; aquatic and related products; milk, milk products and frozen confections; and cereals, grains and their products.
Vegetables, fruits and their products
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The CFS took about 2 700 samples of fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, preserved vegetables and pickled fruits, dried vegetables and ready-to-eat vegetables for analyses.
Other than an unsatisfactory sample of preserved bean curd announced earlier, another sample of preserved bean curd of a different brand was found to contain a pathogen, Bacillus cereus, at a level of 580 000 per millilitre (ml), exceeding the guideline limit of no more than 100 000 per gramme or per ml.
"Bacillus cereus may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea," the spokesman said.
The remaining samples for other tests (e.g. pesticides, metallic contaminants and preservatives) were satisfactory. Regarding earlier media reports that certain farms on the Mainland used garbage including batteries as fertiliser, the CFS immediately contacted the Mainland authorities and confirmed that no registered farms eligible for supplying vegetables to Hong Kong were involved. However, to allay public concern, the CFS has enhanced testing of imported vegetables for heavy metals.
Meat, poultry and their products
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The CFS completed the testing of about 600 samples, including fresh, chilled and frozen pork, beef and poultry, ready-to-eat dishes of meat and poultry served at food establishments, and meat- and poultry-made products such as Chinese preserved meat, sausages and ham.
A sample of skewered beef was detected with a pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, at a level of 49 000 per gramme, exceeding the guideline limit of no more than 10 000 per gramme or per ml.
"Staphylococcus aureus may cause gastrointestinal upsets such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea," the spokesman said.
A sample of cooked pork ball was found to contain benzoic acid, a preservative not permitted in pork balls, at a level of 680 parts per million. The spokesman said, "Benzoic acid is a common preservative with low toxicity and will not cause adverse effect to health."
All the remaining samples were found to be satisfactory (e.g. free from pesticides, veterinary drug residues and colouring matter).
Aquatic and related products
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The CFS took some 1 300 samples of fish, shellfish, shrimp, prawn, crab and squid and their products for analyses. All results were satisfactory.
Milk, milk products and frozen confections
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About 500 samples of ice-cream, cheese, milk and milk products were collected for tests. The total bacteria counts of two ice-cream samples of the same brand were detected to range from 58 000 to 66 000, exceeding the legal limit of 50 000 per gramme.
The coliform organisms of a sample of ice-cream of the same brand but of a different flavour were found to be 2 900 per gramme, exceeding the legal limit of 100 per gramme.
"The fact that the total bacteria count and coliform organisms exceed the legal limits indicates that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but does not mean it would lead to food poisoning. The samples were collected at the import level and no affected products entered the local market," the spokesman said.
Results of other tests (e.g. melamine, preservatives, veterinary drug residues and colouring matters) were satisfactory.
Cereals, grains and their products
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The CFS took about 500 samples of rice, noodles, flour, bread and breakfast cereals for analyses. All samples passed the tests.
Other food commodities
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The CFS took about 3 700 food samples consisting of mixed dishes, dim sum, beverages, sushi, sashimi, sugar, sweets, condiments, sauces, snacks, eggs and egg products for tests.
Other than the three samples of cooking oil found containing a carcinogen, Benzo[a]pyrene, announced earlier, a sample of yellow curry paste was detected to contain non-permitted colouring matters, Sudan red I and Dimethyl yellow.
"There have been research results showing that Sudan red will cause cancer in animal tests but no sufficient evidence has been found to prove that it will cause cancer in humans as well. As to Dimethyl yellow, there is no sufficient evidence to prove any health effects," the spokesman said.
Samples for other tests (e.g. pathogens, metallic contaminants and veterinary drug residues) were found to be satisfactory.
Conclusion
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The CFS has taken follow-up actions on all the unsatisfactory samples including tracing the source of the food items in question, asking the vendors concerned to stop sale and dispose of the affected food, taking follow-up food samples and issuing warning letters. Prosecution will be taken if there is sufficient evidence.
The spokesman reminded consumers to patronise reliable shops when buying food and to maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risk.
He also advised the trade to comply with the legal requirements, follow good manufacturing practice and only use permitted food additives in an appropriate manner, and observe the "Five Keys to Food Safety" to minimise the risk of food poisoning. For retailers, they should source food from reliable suppliers and maintain a good recording system in accordance with the Food Safety Ordinance to allow source tracing if needed.
Summary of food surveillance programme for 2012
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Concluding the food surveillance programme for 2012, the spokesman said that apart from routine food surveillance, the CFS had conducted a number of targeted as well as seasonal and popular food surveillance projects.
"Apart from samples of imported Japanese food taken for testing of radiation level in response to the Fukushima nuclear power plant incident in Japan, about 65 000 samples were tested by the CFS last year. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8 per cent, which was comparable to the results of recent years. This indicates that food safety has been maintained at a high standard in Hong Kong," he said.
"The exceedances or breaches for most of the unsatisfactory samples were not serious and would not pose adverse health effects to the general public. For individual food items with unsatisfactory test results, the CFS has taken prompt and effective risk management actions to safeguard public health," he said.
He added that in planning the food surveillance programme, the CFS would always take into consideration a number of factors such as the food consumption level and the risk of the food concerned in deciding the number of samples to be tested, the frequency of sampling as well as the testing parameters. In addition, the CFS would also adjust its food surveillance programmes and strengthen relevant testing with regard to local and overseas food incidents as well as past surveillance data, in particular for breaches of regulatory requirement that occurred more frequently, so as to ensure food safety in Hong Kong.
Ends/Thursday, January 31, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:42
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