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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (December 22) reminded food trade operators to buy snack products from reliable suppliers and ensure that the products complied with the law.
The CFS conducted blitz operations and inspected seven retail outlets suspected of selling snacks containing non-permitted sweetener stevioside. Ten samples were taken for testing.
"Test results showed that three of the samples contained stevioside," a CFS spokesman said.
The three samples of Japanese noodle snack products were taken from a chain retail shop in Kowloon City. The CFS had asked the retailer to withdraw the products in question, and had marked and sealed the remaining stock of products.
"Intake of stevioside from food should not pose any adverse health effects for an average person," the spokesman said.
According to the Sweeteners in Food Regulations, stevioside is not allowed to be used as a sweetener. The products concerned also do not bear appropriate labels in Chinese and/or English as required under the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations. The CFS will consider prosecution.
In the past three years, there have been six prosecutions for selling food containing stevioside. The traders concerned had been fined $2000 to $8000.
Ends/Friday, December 22, 2006
Issued at HKT 10:36
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