The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 28) announced that the nutrient contents of a bottled soda sample and a prepackaged cookies sample were found to be inconsistent with the declared values on their nutrition labels. The CFS urged the trade to stop selling the affected batches of the products immediately.

     Product details are as follows:

(1) Product name: CALPIS SODA
Place of origin: Japan
Manufacturer: ASAHI & Co., Ltd.
Volume: 500 millilitres per bottle
Best-before date: June 7, 2016

(2) Product name: OREO Cream Sandwich Cookies
Place of origin: Japan
Manufacturer: YAMAZAKI-NABISCO Co., Ltd
Packing: Two servings per package (95.4 grams per serving size)
Best-before date: September 16, 2016

     "The CFS collected the above-mentioned soda sample from a department store in Tsuen Wan for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The result of chemical analysis of the sample showed a discrepancy between its actual sugar content (7.5g per 100ml) and the declared content on its nutrition label (4.8g per 100ml). Furthermore, the CFS earlier announced that a cookies sample taken from the same department store in Tsuen Wan was detected with a saturated fatty acids content inconsistent with its declared value, and collected another cookies sample of the same kind but of a different batch from the same store for testing during follow-up investigations. The test result showed a similar irregularity, a discrepancy between the actual saturated fatty acids content (12.5g per 100g) and the declared content of 5.9g per serving (95.4g) (i.e. 6.184g per 100g)," a spokesman for the CFS said.

     "The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularities and the vendor then stopped sale of the kind of soda. The vendor concerned has also removed from shelves and stopped sale of the affected batch of the cookies according to the instructions of the CFS. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence. The CFS is also tracing the distribution of the affected products," he added.

     According to Section 61 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), if any person falsely describes a food or misleads as to the nature, substance or quality of the food on a label of the food sold by him, he shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction.

     The CFS will inform the trade, continue to follow up on the cases and take appropriate action.

Ends/Thursday, July 28, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:01

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