********************************************************
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (November 4) announced that a sample of locally made ice-cream (milk flavour) was found to contain a coliform count exceeding the legal limit. Follow-up is in progress.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected a sample of the above-mentioned product from a premises with a frozen confection factory licence in Tsuen Wan for testing under its regular Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that it contained a coliform count of 2,000 per gram, exceeding the legal limit."
The spokesman said that, according to the information provided by the frozen confection factory, the ice-cream manufactured by the premises was supplied to two restaurants only.
"The CFS has informed the frozen confection factory concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop selling the affected product immediately. The Centre has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene for the person-in-charge and staff of the frozen confection factory, and has requested them to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection. According to the information provided by the frozen confection factory, the affected batch of ice-cream has been recalled," the spokesman said.
The fact that the coliform count exceeded the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.
The CFS will follow up on the case closely and take appropriate actions including collecting follow-up samples for testing to safeguard food safety and public health.
Ends/Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:24
NNNN
