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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 5) urged the public not to consume certain kinds of prepackaged salad leaves produced by Tripod Farmers Pty Ltd in Australia, as the products might have been contaminated with salmonella, a pathogen. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately.
"The Centre received a notification from the International Food Safety Authorities Network that prepackaged salad leaves produced by the above-mentioned manufacturer were suspected to be linked to a salmonella outbreak in Australia. The manufacturer concerned has initiated a recall of the affected products, with use-by-dates up to and including February 14, 2016," a spokesman for the CFS said.
Products under recall are as follows:
- Woolworths Baby Spinach (100g);
- Woolworths Baby Rocket (100g);
- Woolworths Gourmet Mix (100g);
- Wash N Toss Watercress (100g);
- Wash N Toss Sorrel (50g);
- Wash N Toss Baby Cos (100g);
- Wash N Toss Baby Spinach (100g);
- Wash N Toss Salad Mix (100g);
- Wash N Toss Wild Rocket (100g);
- Wash N Toss Kale (100g);
- Coles Australian Baby Spinach (60g);
- Coles Australian Baby Rocket (60g);
- Coles Australian Baby Rocket (120g);
- Coles Australian Spinach & Rocket (120g);
- Coles Australian Baby Spinach (120g);
- Coles Australian 4 Leaf Salad (120g);
- Coles Australian 4 Leaf Salad (200g); and
- Supa Salad Supa salad (180g).
Trade recall only for the following products:
- Supa Salad Supamix (1kg);
- Supa Salad AHL Mix (1kg);
- Clear Film Spinach (1kg);
- Clear Film Rocket (1kg);
- Clear Film Baby Cos (1kg);
- Clear Film Baby Leaf (1kg);
- Clear Film Green Coral (180g); and
- Clear Film Spinach (180g).
The spokesman said that the CFS had contacted the Australian authorities over the incident, and learnt from the information provided by the Australian authorities that a Hong Kong importer had imported the affected product. During follow up investigations, the CFS was informed by the importer concerned that it had imported products of Wash N Toss Salad Mix with use-by-date of February 13. All the products had been re-exported through a distributor and none had been sold in the local market. For the sake of prudence, the CFS has contacted other major local importers and conducted sales checks at local outlets. No other affected products were found to be imported or sold in Hong Kong so far.
"Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and patients with a weak immune system could be more severe and sometimes may even lead to death," the spokesman said.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action.
For the latest information on the products under recall, please visit the website of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (www.foodstandards.gov.au/industry/foodrecalls/recalls/Pages/Pre-packaged-salad-leaves.aspx).
Ends/Friday, February 5, 2016
Issued at HKT 19:55
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