The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has announced that a trace amount of malachite green was found in a grass carp sample.
A CFS spokesman said, “The CFS collected the grass carp sample from a fresh provision shop in Wong Tai Sin for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained a trace amount of malachite green at a level of 2.4 parts per billion.
“The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale of the affected product,” the spokesman added.
Malachite green is a type of industrial dye and has been used for treating infections in fish. Malachite green is possibly both genotoxic and carcinogenic. According to the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), there is no safe level of residues of malachite green or its metabolites in food that represents an acceptable risk to consumers, and competent authorities should prevent residues of malachite green in food. Major agricultural economies such as the Mainland, the European Union, Canada and the United States prohibit the use of the chemical in food fish. According to the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations (Cap 132AF), no food sold in Hong Kong is allowed to contain malachite green. Offenders will be prosecuted and will be liable to a fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
CFS also urged the public not to consume two batches of prepackaged sauce imported from Australia due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen. The trade should stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.
The sauce is a Miso and Edamame Dip, branded Roza’s Gourmet. It is imported into Hong Kong by Chef’s Garden Limited, and the affected products have best-before dates of 5 June and 21 June 2019.
“The CFS received a notification from the Australian authorities through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) that the above mentioned batches of the affected product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and is being recalled. According to the information provided by INFOSAN, the above local importer has imported the affected batches of the product into Hong Kong,” a spokesman for the CFS said.
The CFS immediately contacted the importer concerned for follow up. Preliminary investigation showed that the importer had imported eight cartons of the above mentioned batches of the product and some of them were sold. The CFS has instructed the importer to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected batches of the product and initiate a recall. Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer’s hotline at 2501 5811 during office hours.
“Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected product if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess them.
The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, continue to follow up and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.
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