The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 17) announced that a chocolate flavour popsicle sample was found to contain coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit. Follow-up is in progress.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Double Chocolate Fudge Ice Pop
Product brand: NICE POPS HONG KONG
Manufacturer/packer: Nice Company HK, Limited
Net volume: 82 millilitres
Best-before date: October 5, 2019
A spokesman for the CFS said, "The Centre collected the above-mentioned sample from the premises of a frozen confection factory in Ap Lei Chau for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained 140 coliform bacteria per gram, exceeding the legal limit."
Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap 132AC), frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 100 coliform bacteria per gram. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that the coliform bacteria exceeded the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.
"The CFS has informed the premises concerned of the irregularity and the premises has temporarily stopped production and sale of all kinds of popsicles according to the CFS' instructions until completion of improvement measures. The CFS has provided health education on food safety and hygiene for the person-in-charge and staff concerned, and requested them to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection," the spokesman said.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.
Reposted from HKSAR Government webpage:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201904/17/P2019041700650.htm