Imported frozen confection samples detected with coliform bacteria exceeding legal limit

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 24) that samples of a kind of frozen confection imported from Singapore were found to contain coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit. The affected products have been marked and sealed, and have not entered the market. The CFS is following up on the case.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Salted Caramel Animal-Free Frozen Dessert With Caramel Swirls
Brand: Coolhaus
Place of origin: Singapore
Volume: 473ml
Importer: Ice Age HK Limited
Best before date : March 17, 2024, and March 19, 2024

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected samples of the above-mentioned frozen confection at the import level for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that five samples contained coliform bacteria ranging between 180 and 190 per gram, exceeding the legal limit.

     "The CFS has informed the importer concerned of the irregularities. The affected products have all been marked and sealed, and have not entered the market. The CFS will suspend temporarily the permission to import for sale of the product concerned granted earlier to the importer," the spokesman said. 

     Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap. 132AC), frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 100 coliform organisms per gram. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that coliform count exceeding the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.