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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) recently conducted a targeted food surveillance project to assess the use of preservatives, nitrates and nitrites, in meat and meat products.
Under the law, no preservatives, including nitrates and nitrites, are allowed to be added into fresh meat. However, nitrates and nitrites, which have effective anti-microbial functions, can be used in meat products within specified limits.
Announcing results of the surveillance project at a press briefing, Principal Medical Officer (Risk Management) of the CFS, Dr Tina Mok, said that the CFS had collected, from March to April, 282 meat and meat product samples for tests. Among them, 42 were fresh beef and pork samples. No nitrates or nitrites were found in any of them.
"The remaining 240 food samples (including bacon, ham, hamburger, Chinese preserved sausage, beef ball, canned meat, preserved meat, siu mei and lo mei) did not contain nitrites exceeding the legal limit.
"However, three samples, including two dried pork slice and a pork floss, were found to contain nitrates, at levels of 710 ppm, 2,100 ppm and 870 ppm respectively," Dr Mok said.
Under the Preservatives in Food Regulations, preserved meat (such as bacon and ham) may contain nitrates and nitrites up to 500 ppm and 200 ppm respectively. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.
"Based on the detected levels of nitrates in the current surveillance project, adverse health effect upon normal consumption is unlikely.
"Nitrates are found naturally in the environment and in some foods. Nitrates and nitrites are preservatives commonly used in meat curing as they can inhibit the growth of bacteria, especially against a life-threatening bacterium Clostridium botulinum. But their use must be within legal limits as excess intake of nitrites may affect the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells to cause a blood disease, methaemoglobinaemia, characterised by breathlessness and bluish discolouration of skin," Dr Mok said.
She reminded the food trade to use preservatives appropriately, 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 and to dispose of those food items, issuing warning letters and requesting concerned suppliers to recall the affected products. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution action will also be taken," she said.
Ends/Monday, April 30, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:30
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