Test uncovers electrical safety deficiencies in soybean milk makers
Imagine "brewing" a hot cup of fresh, delicious and nutritious soybean milk in the comfort of home.
And, these days, it is within your easy reach - with the help of an automatic soybean milk maker.
The device combines the function of grinding and heating, and can produce soybean milk in around 20 minutes.
DIY (do-it-yourself) soybean milk has the added appeal of freshness and the absence of additives such as preservatives and artificial colourings.
To evaluate the electrical safety of this new machine, the Consumer Council has initiated a test on 6 models priced from $240 to $700, with reference to the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) safety standard.
The results are rather disappointing: not one single model could produce satisfactory performance in all the test items. There is obviously much room for improvement in the safety of these home electrical devices.
The major deficiencies detected include: insufficient insulation, excessive temperature rise of components, unsatisfactory fixing of internal wiring, inadequate protection against access to basic insulated parts.
Such deficiencies could increase the potential risk of overheating and electric shock.
Consumers are therefore advised to be cautious for signs of overheating, smoke emission or burnt smell and that when such incidence occurs, to unplug at once and ask a qualified technician to inspect the device.
In addition to the potential electrical hazards, the test found the rotating blades of 2 of the models could be touched accidentally if the accessories of the device are not properly assembled. Children, therefore, should not be allowed to operate these devices without parental supervision.
A few points to note in the consumption of soybean milk:
- Always boil the soybean milk as otherwise soybean milk that has not been thoroughly cooked, may affect your digestive system.
- Inspect the soybeans to make sure none is mouldy. Left-over soybean milk should always be stored under refrigeration to maintain freshness.
- Do not use soybean milk to take medicine as it may affect absorption or alter the efficacy of the medicine.
Truth-in-lending is at issue in home loan advertising
Truth-in-lending is lacking in advertising related to a new home loan product, Consolidated Mortgage Account.
A Consumer Council survey on three bank advertisements has found one of them to be less than completely transparent with the relevant fees and charges payable.
Further, the cases quoted in the advertisement in comparison between traditional and consolidated mortgage accounts were deemed inappropriate and unfair.
The Council also took exception to the exaggerated claims in the advertising, creating a dramatic effect of interest saving for the new home loan.
In fact, replicating the cases and using similar assumptions, the Council found that interest saving from traditional mortgage fared even better by as much as 20% to 56%.
Consolidated Mortgage Account offers to offset interest costs of mortgage by depositing fund with the mortgage in the form of a consolidated account.
Accordingly, interest is calculated on the net loan amount (outstanding mortgage loan less deposits). Alternatively, interest earned on the deposits is used to offset the mortgage interest cost.
The survey has revealed a number of factors which the Council believes are important and should be drawn to the attention of the consumers.
First, compared to traditional mortgage, the new loan product charges a higher interest rate - about 0.25% p.a. to 0.275% p.a. higher.
Second, there are restrictions to the extent of interest savings that could be achieved by depositing fund to the account.
For examples, when the deposit exceeds half of the outstanding loan, there is a 1% per annum charge in one case, and the exceeded amount earns no interest in the other cases. There are also other hidden fees and charges such as account opening fee, annual fee, etc.
Third, while the new home loan allows the mortgagor to withdraw money from the deposit account, this purported benefit is by no means provided without any cost to the consumer.
The cost is through paying a higher interest rate for the mortgage loan and, further, the loss of the projected interest saving stipulated in the advertising.
Admittedly, a prominent feature of the Consolidated Mortgage Account is in its flexibility to meet liquidity and cash flow needs which is not available in a conventional mortgage, and which may suit the financial needs of some consumers.
But the Council believed that the way the new product was advertised left much to be desired. The Council has submitted its survey findings to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to see if they are in compliance with the Code of Banking Practice.
Consumers are advised to seek detailed enquiry and understanding of the new home loan prior to formal commitment.
First car tyre test shows up differences in braking and cornering performance
Motorists beware. How reliable are your car tyres in an emergency situation to avoid an accident?
For the first time, the Consumer Council has taken part in a test conducted by the Australian Consumers Association on 8 models of a size (185/60R14 82 H) suitable for some small private cars.
According to the test, there is not much noticeable difference among the tyre models under "normal" driving conditions. But the picture changes substantially in an emergency situation.
The test revealed clear variations in their performance, as assessed in the braking and cornering test, in that some were decidedly better than the others.
For instance, braking at 80 km/h in wet road conditions, the distances among the test models ranged from 23.8 m to 29.6 m, a difference of 5.8 m.
In an emergency situation, a couple of metres can mean the difference between avoiding an accident and not.
It must be stressed that the performance of car tyres is affected not only by the tyre design (its grip on the road), but also the driving speeds and the road conditions.
Overall, in the braking test, the models performed better in dry road conditions than in wet conditions. The average stopping distances to a complete standstill were measured to be :
- 8.8 m at 50 km/h and 24.8 m at 80 km/h in dry conditions.
- In wet conditions, longer distances were required: 9.8 m at 50 km/h (1 m longer), and 27.4 m at 80 km/h (2.6 m longer).
In the cornering test, the tyres were rated for their ability to keep the car stay close to the inside of the curve, and well inside the test lane without drifting towards the outside of the curve.
All models performed well at 75 km/h in the dry while only three models produced good performance in wet conditions.
In the report, the 8 models were rated on a 5-point scoring scale: only one scored 4 1/2 points, five obtained 4 points, and two had 3 1/2 points.
Caution on use of hair dye products containing PDA ingredient
Consumers are advised to choose hair dyes that provide comprehensive labeling of their ingredients.
A Consumer Council survey on the labeling of 30 models of permanent hair dyes has shown substantial variations in the disclosure of ingredients in these products.
Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, hair dye preparations containing phenylenediamines, toluenediamines or other alkylated-benzene diamines or their compounds are required to be labeled with (1) the names of the chemicals, (2) the content quantity, and (3) the caution: "this preparation may cause serious inflammation of the skin in certain persons and should be used only in accordance with expert advice."
The survey found that out of the 30 models, two-thirds (22) were labelled to contain these chemicals, of which only half (11) fully listed out the prescribed information in accordance with the Ordinance.
The 8 remainder samples were found either without any ingredient list at all or without any indication, one way or the other, of chemicals that may be present in the products.
The Consumer Council has forwarded the survey findings to the Department of Health for follow-up action deemed necessary.
Hair dye products and in particular the permanent dyes that contain ingredients such as phenylenediamines (PDA), could cause contact dermatitis in some people. About one-tenth of the population was found to show allergic reaction to hair dye products, according to dermatologists.
Contact dermatitis could result in skin inflammation causing the skin to turn red and itchy - and the set in of bacteria infection of the skin after much scratching.
Further, studies have indicated that bladder cancer may be related to the prolonged contact with the hair dye ingredient PDA, though the findings are still inconclusive.
For the sake of safety, young people should refrain from dyeing their hair as much as possible. If they must, choose the temporary or semi-permanent hair dye products.
Reduce the usage of hair dye products and in particular the permanent dyes. For instance, keep the hair dyeing time short, and the time interval between hair dyeings to at least one month apart.
Contact lens solutions: do they offer the solution one needs in eye care
Contact lens solutions are only as effective as they are applied appropriately with due care and diligence.
A Consumer Council comparative product test has shown that contact lens solutions can be relied on to provide the protection needed against eye infection from contact lens wear. They are, in general, effective in their disinfecting ability.
The concern is, therefore, more with whether or not contact lens wearers have appropriately applied the product to ensure consistently a high standard of hygiene in contact lens usage.
The test focused on 7 models of contact lens care solutions comprising 5 multi-purpose type and 2 hydrogen peroxide type.
To evaluate whether they possess sufficient disinfecting ability, the samples were subjected to a series of stringent tests, with reference to the ISO 14729 standard method.
The results showed that all samples were able to produce satisfactory performance in either the Stand-alone Test or the Regimen Test, or in both in some cases.
So, as far as disinfection is concerned, consumers can put their mind at ease in continuing to use the product of their choice.
But the proper care and hygiene of contact lenses requires more than disinfection. Equally essential are other steps that need to be followed in respect of cleaning, rinsing and protein (from eye secretion) removal.
The test report notes that increasingly manufacturers are offering contact lens solutions with "no rub" directions, as benefits of convenience and less time-consuming to consumers.
But as the test clearly indicates, rubbing is a step that does help to more effectively and efficiently improve the task. In the test, it was shown that even if the lens was soaked for only 5 or 10 minutes, with the help of rubbing the disinfection process was satisfactorily achieved.
The Consumer Council encourages consumers to use the "rub" method, especially those who are in haste.
Further, consumers should pay heed to the importance of protein removal and follow the directions of eye-care professionals in regularly performing this step. Omission of this step could lead to serious eye complications. They must soak the lens for a time long enough to remove protein completely from the lens.
Contact lens wearers are reminded of the need to consult their eye-care professionals always turning up for appointments for consultation, and when feeling discomfort, to take out the contact lenses from their eyes and immediately seek professional help.
Mobile Phones Update
Included in the latest test on mobile phones are 15 new models. Most of them have colour LCD display, and six samples have built-in digital camera function.
Eight of the samples support MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) function, allowing users to send messages with sound or image.
A new feature in this latest update report is the MMS performance comparison test related to the quality of displaying MMS, and convenience of MMS operation. Also compared was the performance of photo-taking for those models with built-in digital camera function.
Chairing the press conference today (September 15) on the publication of CHOICE issue number 323 is Prof. CHING Pak-chung, Vice-Chairman of Publicity and Community Relations Committee of the Consumer Council.