The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 29) that a dark chocolate flavour ice-cream sample was found to contain a total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit. Follow-up is in progress.

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The Centre collected the above-mentioned sample from the premises of a frozen confection factory in Central for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained a total bacterial count of 100 000 per gram, exceeding the legal limit."

     Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap 132 AC), each gram of frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 50 000 bacteria. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that the total bacterial 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 has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop selling the affected ice-cream immediately. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the vendor concerned, and has requested them to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection," the spokesman said.

     The CFS will follow up on the case and take appropriate action including tracing the source of the affected ice-cream to safeguard food safety and public health. Investigation is ongoing.

Ends/Thursday, June 29, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:59

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