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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (May 27) said that a kind of prepacked frozen confection imported from Korea has been found to contain permitted colouring matters, tartrazine and Brilliant Blue FCF, but they were not declared on the product's food label. Follow-up is in progress.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Joomuler Green Grape
Brand: Lotte
Place of origin: Korea
Packing size: 130 millilitres
Best before date: July 2, 2016
"The CFS took two samples of Lotte brand Joomuler Green Grape at import level for testing under its regular Food Surveillance Programme. Results showed that the samples contained two kinds of permitted colouring matters for food use, i.e. tartrazine and Brilliant Blue FCF, but they had not been declared on the lists of ingredients on the samples' food labels. The importer concerned, Gainly Enterprise Limited, has been informed of the irregularity. Prosecution will be considered," a CFS spokesman said.
"All affected products have been marked and sealed and have not entered the local market. Other batches of the same product available in the market will not be affected. The Centre will notify the local trade and the Korean authorities of the incident," the spokesman said.
The spokesman urged the trade to observe the relevant laws and regulations. The Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) require that all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong should list out the food ingredients in the list of ingredients. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.
The CFS will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate follow-up actions.
Ends/Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:31
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