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Another 184 samples of Lunar New Year food completed tests under the Food Surveillance Programme. The food items collected for chemical and microbiological tests included puddings, sesame balls, crispy triangles, candies, glutinous rice balls, melon seeds, preserved meat, dried seafood, vegetarian foods and ¡°poon choi¡±, a spokesman for the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) said today (February 7).
For the current batch, a¡°poon choi¡±sample and a dried bamboo fungus sample failed the tests.
This follows test results on Lunar New Year food items released last month in which 117 out of a total of 119 samples were found satisfactory.
The chemical tests targeted preservatives, anti-oxidants, colouring matters (including Sudan dyes), sweeteners, mineral oil and heavy metals, while microbiological tests covered pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella.
The¡°poon choi¡±sample was found to contain pathogens Clostridium perfringens (12,000,000/g) and Bacillus cereus (500,000/g), exceeding the acceptable levels.
The dried bamboo fungus sample was found to contain cadmium (at 0.17 ppm), exceeding the permitted level (0.1 ppm).
The¡°poon choi¡±sample was collected from a food factory in Sheung Shui, while the dried bamboo fungus sample, sold in plastic bags with a brand name, was collected from a retail shop in Wan Chai.
¡°In following up the case, the CFS has issued a warning letter to the food factory in question asking the operator to take all necessary measures to ensure food safety. The CFS would continue to monitor closely the situation,¡± the spokesman said.
¡°Food suppliers should keep¡®poon choi¡¯at 60 degrees Celsius or above after production and during transportation, while chilled ¡®poon choi¡¯ at four degrees Celsius or below to prevent microbiological growth. And consumers should reheat thoroughly before consumption.¡±
¡°Concerning the dried bamboo fungus sample, cadmium is a metal substance commonly found in the natural environment. While the level of cadmium detected in the sample poses little health risks, the shop concerned has been advised to stop selling the product. The CFS will also monitor if the product is available in other outlets,¡± the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:26
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