The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 20) announced that a sample of iron goddess basque burnt cheesecake was found to contain an excessive amount of Bacillus cereus. The CFS is following up on the incident.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a bakery in Causeway Bay for testing. The test result showed that the sample contained Bacillus cereus at a level of 280 000 per gram. According to the Microbiological Guidelines for Food, if ready-to-eat food contains Bacillus cereus at a level of more than 100 000 per gram, it is considered unsatisfactory."
The CFS instantly sent staff to the bakery concerned for an investigation, and has informed it of the irregularity. The bakery concerned has stopped selling and discarded the affected product according to the CFS's instruction. The CFS has also provided education on food safety and hygiene to the staff of the bakery concerned, and requested that they carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection.
"Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea," the spokesman said.
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.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.
Reposted from HKSAR Government webpage:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202607/20/P2026072000752.htm