CFS
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 15) that a sample of salty chicken was found to contain a pathogen, Salmonella. The CFS is following up on the case.
“The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a booth at an exhibition in Wan Chai for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme, the booth number was Booth 3B15 of Friendship Rainbow Company Limited at the Hong Kong Food Festival. 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 spokesman for the CFS said.
The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the above irregularity and instructed it to recall the relevant food product. Members of the public may call its hotline at 5708 1363 during office hours for enquiries about the recall. The CFS is also tracing the source and distribution of the product concerned. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.
For the sake of prudence, the CFS appealed to members of the public who had purchased salty chicken from the above-mentioned booth at the exhibition held from December 23 to 27, 2023 not to consume them. If symptoms develop after consuming the food, they should seek medical advice as soon as possible.
According to section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, 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 people 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. Investigation is ongoing.
Ends/Monday, January 15, 2024
FoodWorld 