A spokesman for the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (September 2) announced that a kind of prepackaged preserved olive on sale at a department store was found to be in breach of food labelling regulations for not declaring on its food label that it contained a permitted colouring matter, tartrazine. The CFS urged the trade to stop selling the illegal product immediately.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Yue Ye Olive
Retailer: Wing On Department Store
Distributor: The Hing Ah Preserved Fruit Ltd
Place of origin: China
Net weight: 368 grams per pack
"The CFS took a sample of Yue Ye Olive from the retailer concerned for testing under its regular Food Surveillance Programme. Results showed that it contained tartrazine, but its presence was not declared on the list of ingredients on the product's food label. The retailer concerned has been warned. The trade will be alerted to stop selling the affected product," the spokesman said.
According to the information provided by the distributor, the affected product had been available for sale at the retail stores of the retailer concerned and another retailer. The retailers and the distributor have stopped sale of the affected product. The CFS will follow up with the trade to ensure that the affected product will not enter the local market via other importers or distributors, he said.
"According to the Colouring Matter in Food Regulations (Cap. 132H), the colouring matter, tartrazine, is permitted in food and would not pose a risk to human health upon appropriate use. But the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) require that all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong should list out the food ingredients on its list of ingredients. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment," the spokesman said.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Yue Ye Olive
Retailer: Wing On Department Store
Distributor: The Hing Ah Preserved Fruit Ltd
Place of origin: China
Net weight: 368 grams per pack
"The CFS took a sample of Yue Ye Olive from the retailer concerned for testing under its regular Food Surveillance Programme. Results showed that it contained tartrazine, but its presence was not declared on the list of ingredients on the product's food label. The retailer concerned has been warned. The trade will be alerted to stop selling the affected product," the spokesman said.
According to the information provided by the distributor, the affected product had been available for sale at the retail stores of the retailer concerned and another retailer. The retailers and the distributor have stopped sale of the affected product. The CFS will follow up with the trade to ensure that the affected product will not enter the local market via other importers or distributors, he said.
"According to the Colouring Matter in Food Regulations (Cap. 132H), the colouring matter, tartrazine, is permitted in food and would not pose a risk to human health upon appropriate use. But the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) require that all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong should list out the food ingredients on its list of ingredients. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment," the spokesman said.
Reprinted from HKSAR Government:
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201409/02/P201409020907.htm