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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 18) that while following up on a case of listeriosis, the CFS had detected Listeria monocytogenes in food samples taken from a food factory. Follow-up is in progress.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "Following up on a confirmed case of listeriosis notified by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, the CFS conducted investigation at a food factory (Elegant Fine Food Limited) located at Flat C, 13/F., Wah Ha Factory Building, No 8 Shipyard Lane in Quarry Bay, and took five smoked salmon samples and 19 environmental samples from the food factory for testing. Test results showed that four smoked salmon samples contained Listeria monocytogenes while all environmental samples were satisfactory."
The spokesman said that the CFS had notified the food factory concerned of the unsatisfactory test results and instructed it to stop supplying and recall all smoked salmon produced immediately. As instructed by the CFS, the food factory has surrendered all remaining stock of smoked salmon for disposal, and has suspended the relevant production line of smoked salmon for thorough cleansing and disinfection. Furthermore, the CFS has provided health education on food safety and hygiene for the person-in-charge and staff of the food factory and is tracing the distribution of the product concerned.
Listeriosis is usually caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes which can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in the newborns.
"The CFS advises those belonging to the high-risk groups, i.e. chronic disease patients, pregnant women, infants, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system, to avoid eating high-risk food, such as smoked seafood, soft cheese, ready-cooked and cold chickens, deli meats, pates, prepared and stored salads, so as to reduce the risk of Listeriosis," the spokesman said.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. Investigations are ongoing. Prosecution will be initiated should there be sufficient evidence.
Ends/Monday, January 18, 2016
Issued at HKT 22:11
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