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Sample of tinned infant formula not in compliance with requirements on nutritional composition and nutrition label

  • 2017.03.20

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (March 20) announced that a tinned infant formula sample was found with iodine content below the minimum level as required by the law and inconsistent with the declared value on its nutrition label. The CFS is following up on the incident and urged the trade to stop selling the affected batch of the product immediately.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Physiolac Relay 1
Place of origin: France
Manufacturer: Laboratoires Gilbert
Net weight: 900 grams per tin
Best-before date: May 7, 2019

"Subsequent to announcing that the iodine content of a tinned infant formula sample taken from a supermarket in Tsim Sha Tsui found to be inconsistent with the declared value on its nutrition label, the CFS detected a similar irregularity in another sample of the same kind but of a different batch from the same supermarket during follow-up investigation. The test result showed that there was a discrepancy between the actual iodine content (35µg per 100g) and the declared content (80µg per 100g) on its nutrition label. The CFS also found that the iodine content of the sample was 6.94µg per 100kcal, below the legal requirement of the minimum level at 10µg per 100kcal as stipulated in the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations," a CFS spokesman said.

"The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and the vendor concerned has stopped sale and removed from shelves the affected batch of the product according to the instructions of the CFS. The CFS is tracing the distribution of the affected product. Should there be sufficient evidence, prosecution will be instituted," he added.

According to Section 61 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), if any person falsely describes a food or misleads as to the nature, substance or quality of the food on a label of the food sold by him, he shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction.

Besides, according to Regulation 5(1) of the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap 132W), if any person who sell a food which does not conform to the requirements as to nutritional composition prescribed in law, he shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction.

The CFS will inform the trade, continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action.

Reprinted from HKSAR Government:

http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201703/20/P2017032000951.htm