The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 30) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 4 700 food samples tested were satisfactory except for six samples that were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.
A CFS spokesman said about 1 200 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, and about 3 500 samples were taken for chemical and radiation level tests.
The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators; the chemical tests included testing for pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others; and the radiation level tests included testing of radioactive caesium and iodine from samples collected from imported food of different regions.
The samples comprised about 2 100 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 300 samples of cereals, grains and their products; about 500 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 500 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 600 samples of aquatic and related products, and about 700 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
The six unsatisfactory samples comprised three samples of Chinese dried white cabbage detected with excessive chromium, two raw milk samples detected with coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit, and a choi sum sample found to contain excessive pesticide residue.
The CFS has taken follow-up action on the unsatisfactory samples including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food for sale is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.
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