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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (April 12) released its first Food Safety Report for 2007, which included food surveillance results for the first two months of the year.
Announcing results at a press conference today, Assistant Director (Food Surveillance and Control) of the CFS, Dr Constance Chan, said some 7,100 food samples were tested in January and February. Among them, some 1,700 samples were taken for microbiological tests and some 5,200 for chemical tests.
"The overall satisfactory rate is 99.6%, with only 28 samples failing the tests," she said.
While microbiological tests cover pathogenic bacteria and viruses, chemical tests are conducted to detect chemicals such as antibiotics, anti-oxidants, sweeteners, preservatives, heavy metals, colouring matters and pesticides.
Food samples tested included vegetables, fruits and products; poultry and products; aquatic products; milk, milk products and frozen confections; cereals, grains and products.
Vegetables, fruits and products
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Some 3,200 vegetable, fruit and their product samples were taken for microbiological and chemical tests. Apart from nine unsatisfactory dried/preserved vegetable and fruit samples announced earlier in the surveillance report on Lunar New Year foods, there were four other unsatisfactory samples.
On pesticides, tests were conducted for four main types comprising over 100 pesticides (such as DDT, methamidophos, hexachlorocyclohexane and carbofuran). Only one spring onion sample was found to contain methamidophos (11ppm).
Concerning possible use of colouring matters in fresh vegetables and fruits, two green pea samples were found to contain colouring matters, Brilliant blue FCF and tartrazine.
"Brilliant blue FCF and tartrazine are permitted colouring matters in certain food. However, the law does not allow them to be added to vegetables in raw and unprocessed state," Dr Chan said.
For food additives, tests included the commonly-used sulphur dioxide, benzoic acid and sorbic acid. A sample of dried raisin was found to contain preservative sulphur dioxide (2,300ppm), slightly exceeding the permitted level.
For heavy metals, tests included cadmium, arsenic, and lead. All the results were satisfactory.
Meat, poultry and products
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CFS collected some 500 samples of meat, poultry and their products for microbiological and chemical tests. Concerning tests on veterinary drug residues, including clenbuterol and synthetic hormones, all the results were satisfactory.
On preservatives, a fresh beef sample was found to contain trace amounts of sulphur dioxide (98ppm), and a sample of poultry product (榨菜肾片) was found to contain benzoic acid (310ppm), slightly exceeding the permitted level.
Aquatic products
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About 400 samples (including freshwater fish, seawater fish, shrimps and shellfish) were analysed for micro-organisms and chemicals. Regarding tests on veterinary drug residues, including antibiotics (such as nitrofurans and chloramphenicol) and malachite green, apart from three turbot fish samples which were found to contain trace amounts of nitrofurans in another survey announced earlier, results for other samples were all satisfactory.
Concerning tests on heavy metals (such as mercury, arsenic and cadmium), only a shrimp sample was found to contain arsenic (20ppm) exceeding the permitted level.
Milk, milk products and frozen confections
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CFS took some 1,100 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections for microbiological and chemical analyses. All test results were satisfactory.
Cereals, grains and products
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About 500 samples were analysed for microorganisms and chemicals. A flat noodle sample was found containing preservative benzoic acid (340ppm).
Other food commodities
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Some 1,400 samples including snacks, dim sum, condiments and sauces were tested. There were eight unsatisfactory samples, including a dumpling (锅贴) with pathogen Salmonella, a curry paste with preservative sorbic acid (680ppm) and a snack product with non-permitted sweetener stevioside. The other five unsatisfactory samples were announced earlier as results of surveillance on Lunar New Year foods.
Summing up
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"Concerning food samples tested in January and February, the exceedances or breaches were not serious and would not pose immediate health risks. As for the food sample with Salmonella, the pathogen may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as abdominal pain and diarrhoea," Dr Chan said.
"We observe that the unsatisfactory samples were mainly related to the use of excessive or non-permitted food additives (such as preservatives, colouring matters or sweeteners)," she said.
"She reminded the food trade to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practice and comply with legal requirements.
"Regarding the unsatisfactory samples, the CFS has taken follow-up actions, including tracing the source of food in question, asking concerned retailers to stop selling those food items, taking follow-up samples and issuing warning letters. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution action will also be taken," she said.
Ends/Thursday, April 12, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:11
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