Category Archives: Food Safety Alert

CFS

In the recent years, consumers have higher expectations: good taste, appetizing appearance and high nutrition value. Apart from the traditional mooncakes, there are snowy mooncakes and ice-cream mooncakes that have won the hearts of many young people and children. The ingredients also come with a large variety from the lotus seed paste, egg yolk, bean paste, to chocolate, coffee or even bird nest flavours.

Due to the absence of a high-temperature treatment during the manufacturing process, snowy and ice-cream mooncakes tend to pose a higher microbiological risk than traditional mooncakes. Hence, strict hygiene and stringent temperature control are necessary during processing, transportation and storage to prevent contamination and growth of bacteria.

Following are some safety tips for consumers who purchase and consume snowy or ice-cream mooncakes:

• Beware of the storage temperature at the place of purchase. Snowy mooncakes should be kept in a chiller at 4℃ or below while ice-cream mooncakes should be kept in a freezer at -18℃ or below
• When purchasing mooncakes, check if they are properly packaged and watch out for any unusual appearance
• Check the expiry dates and consume them before the expiry dates
• Take snowy or ice-cream mooncakes home immediately after purchase, keep them in a suitable temperature compartment of a refrigerator, and make sure that they are wrapped properly to avoid cross contamination
• Do not leave snowy or ice-cream mooncakes under room temperature as bacteria can multiply rapidly in the temperature danger zone of 4℃ to 60℃
• Discard snowy and ice-cream mooncakes that have been kept at room temperature for more than two hours
• Do not consume the mooncake if it looks or tastes abnormal
• Use an icebox to keep snowy or ice-cream mooncakes at appropriate temperature when carrying them outdoors. Take the mooncakes out of the icebox only upon eating
• Cleanse the hands before consuming the mooncakes

Moreover, consumers are advised to eat mooncakes in moderation as most of these cakes are rich in sugar and fat. Patients with chronic illnesses should consult dieticians before eating mooncakes.

CFS

“Poon Choi”, which comprises a great variety of food, involves a number of processing steps, which demands meticulous attention during preparation.

People should order their “Poon Choi” from reputable and licensed food suppliers. If they want to make their own, they should maintain good personal and food hygiene to prevent cross contamination.

To enjoy a delicious and healthy meal, people should pay particular attention to food safety.

Here are some safety tips for enjoying “Poon Choi”:

When purchasing “Poon Choi”:

• Order from reputable licensed suppliers
• Hot “Poon Choi” should be kept at 60℃ or above and chilled “Poon Choi” should be kept at 4℃ or below to prevent growth of bacteria
• Ask for the reheating instruction for the “Poon Choi”. For example, does the “Poon Choi” have to be reheated before consumption and if so, how and for how long? And is it possible to reheat it in its original container?
• Notify the supplier of the time you collect the “Poon Choi”. It is best to collect it half an hour to one hour before consumption
• Return home immediately after collecting the “Poon Choi”. Avoid keeping it for a prolonged period of time at room temperature
• Keep chilled “Poon Choi” at 4℃ or below to minimise its exposure to the temperature danger zone of 4 to 60℃

When preparing “Poon Choi” at home:

• Buy ingredients from reputable retailers
• Plan the work schedule ahead of time, with consideration to ingredients involved. Don’t start cooking too early
• Defrost frozen food inside the chilled compartment of a refrigerator or under cool running water
• Cook high risk food such as poached chicken and seafood like fresh oysters thoroughly
• Raw and cooked food should be covered and stored separately to prevent cross contamination
• If the ingredients need to be stored after cooking, they should either be kept chilled at 4℃ or below, or kept warm at 60℃ or over
• Cover food properly to prevent cross contamination
• Since lots of ingredients and cooking utensils are involved in the course of preparing “Poon Choi”, a well-organised work schedule can help prevent cross contamination
• Before preparing “Poon Choi”, thoroughly clean and sterilize cutting boards, knives, containers and other cooking utensils
• Maintain good personal hygiene. Wash hands with liquid soap before handling food and after using the toilet

When consuming “Poon Choi”:

• Consume the “Poon Choi” as soon as possible after it is collected or cooked. Don’t keep it under room temperature for more than two hours
• As “Poon Choi” is generally served in a large pot, a longer period of time is required to reheat it thoroughly
• When eating “Poon Choi” in a restaurant, pay attention to its serving temperature. When in doubt, stop eating and inform the caterer in charge
• Use communal chopsticks and spoons when consuming “Poon Choi”
• Consume “Poon Choi” in one go