CFS urges public not to consume a kind of French raw milk goat’s cheese suspected to be contaminated with salmonella

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (May 7) urged the public not to consume a kind of raw milk goat's cheese imported from France, as the product might have been contaminated with salmonella, a pathogen. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

     Details of the product are as follows:

Product name: Picodon Aop
Brand: Janier
Batch numbers: 12260610, 13260610, 14260610, 15260610, 16260610
Place of origin: France
Importer: Le Quinze Vins Limited

     "The Centre received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that the above-mentioned raw milk goat's cheese sample was found by the French manufacturer to have been contaminated with salmonella. The manufacturer concerned has initiated a recall locally. According to the information provided by the RASFF, some of the affected products have been imported into Hong Kong," a spokesman for the CFS said.

     Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted the local importer concerned for follow-up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported the above batches of the product, and some of them were sold. Upon notification by the exporter concerned earlier, the importer has already stopped sale of the affected product, initiated a recall and destroyed the remaining product. Members of the public may call the importer's hotline at 2329 8028 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

     "Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and patients with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death," the spokesman said.

     The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected batches of the product if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

     The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, continue to follow up and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.