The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (September 30) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 13 200 food samples tested were satisfactory except for five samples that were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.
A CFS spokesman said about 1 100 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, some 3 700 samples were taken for chemical tests and the remaining 8 400 (including about 7 500 taken from food imported from Japan) were collected to test radiation levels.
The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators, while the chemical tests included pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others.
The samples comprised about 4 000 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 700 samples of cereals, grains and their products; about 600 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 1 000 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 1 200 samples of aquatic and related products; and about 5 700 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
The five unsatisfactory samples comprised a green grouper sample detected with malachite green, a sample of bamboo fungi found to contain excessive preservative and in breach of the food labelling regulation, an egg sample detected with a trace amount of an antibiotic, and two vegetable samples detected with excessive pesticide residues.
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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