The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 18) that a sample of drunken chicken was found to contain a pathogen, Salmonella. The CFS is following up on the case.
"Following up on a food complaint, the CFS collected the above-mentioned drunken chicken sample from a restaurant in Tuen Mun for testing. The test result showed the presence of Salmonella in 25 grams of the sample, exceeding the criterion of the Microbiological Guidelines for Food which states that Salmonella should not be detected in 25g of a ready-to-eat food sample," a CFS spokesman said.
The CFS has informed the restaurant concerned of the unsatisfactory test result and instructed it to stop selling the food item concerned immediately. The CFS has also inspected the restaurant concerned, provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff, and requested it to review and improve the food production process and carry out a thorough cleaning and disinfection.
According to section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, imported or locally produced, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
"Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and persons with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death," the spokesman said.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.
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