Latest news with #CentreforFoodSafety
RTHK
5 days ago
- Health
- RTHK
Big rules move set to ban mini konjac jelly cups
Big rules move set to ban mini konjac jelly cups The Centre for Food Safety says it will continue educating the public on the choking dangers of jellies that contain konjac. Photo: RTHK The Centre for Food Safety says proposals for new regulations covering konjac-containing jelly confectionery to avoid choking incidents will be tabled in the Legislative Council next week. The amendments include a ban on konjac-containing jelly products coming in cups with heights and widths of under 45 millimetres. Labels cautioning against swallowing a jelly whole as well as elderly and children consumption without supervision should also be clearly underlined. The centre says there is likely to be a small effect on current trade as its market survey shows that only about 8 percent of konjac-containing jelly products fall under the regulated size. The new regulations are expected to take effect starting from April, about six months after negative vetting. The centre's community medicine consultant, Dr Terence Cheung, says that will give the trade enough time to make the necessary adjustments to warning labels on products. "Well actually we have consulted Legislative Council members and we did not hear any significant objection on these proposed amendments," he said. He added that the centre will conduct inspections on products that are on the market and check for violations. Cheung said warning letters will be issued before the commencement of the regulations, and enforcement actions will be taken afterwards, with offenders facing fines of HK$50,000 and imprisonment of up to six months. "We are planning to conduct technical meetings with the trade, and prepare trade guidelines to facilitate them to comply with our new requirements," he said.
The Star
29-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Godiva ordered by Hong Kong govt to halt dark chocolate ice cream sale after bacteria find
Hong Kong authorities have ordered a branch of Belgian luxury chocolatier Godiva to halt the sale of its dark chocolate soft ice cream after a sample was found to contain a bacterial count 46 times above the legal limit. The Centre for Food Safety said on Thursday that the sample collected from the shop at Cityplaza in Tai Koo had 2.3 million bacteria per gram – 46 times higher than the legal limit of 50,000. 'The centre has informed the vendor involved of the irregularity and instructed it to stop selling and immediately dispose of the affected product,' a spokesman said. 'Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.' Under the Frozen Confections Regulation, those convicted of selling frozen confections with bacterial levels exceeding the legal limit face a maximum penalty of a fine of HK$10,000 (US$1,273) and three months' imprisonment. The spokesman said the centre had asked Godiva to carry out a thorough cleaning and disinfection. He added that the centre had also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the vendor's representative and staff. The centre also noted that the total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit indicated unsatisfactory hygienic conditions, but that did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
RTHK
16-06-2025
- Health
- RTHK
Warning issued for Jolly Rancher candies
Warning issued for Jolly Rancher candies The Centre for Food Safety says a Jolly Rancher product called 'Hard Candy' that was available in Hong Kong may be tainted with mineral oils. File photo: RTHK The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has urged people not to consume Jolly Rancher candies that may contain mineral oils deemed unfit for human consumption. A recall for the four affected Jolly Rancher products, called 'Hard Candy', ''Misfits' gummies', 'Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1' and 'Berry Gummies', have been ordered. "The CFS noted a notice issued by the British Authority indicating that the above-mentioned products might contain mineral oils. The products are not compliant with their local law and all batches of products concerned are being recalled," a CFS spokesman said in a statement. The centre says a local supplier had imported one of the affected products – Hard Candy – but has now halted sales and issued a recall. The CFS noted that local laws prohibit the use of mineral oils in food. It said investigations into the matter are continuing and appropriate follow-up action would be taken.
RTHK
01-06-2025
- Health
- RTHK
HK shops remove Haribo gummies after cannabis found
HK shops remove Haribo gummies after cannabis found The Centre for Food Safety says it will inspect the Haribo gummies. Photo courtesy of Haribo The government has advised Hong Kong shops to remove Haribo gummy products from their shelves, after traces of cannabis were found in the firm's cola-flavoured gummies in the Netherlands. Dutch authorities had earlier told the public that consuming the brand's Happy Cola F!ZZ may lead to symptoms such as dizziness. The Centre for Food Safety said on Sunday that though it has not received any such reports, the authorities will inspect these products. "For prudence sake, the trade [is] advised to [take] off shelf all the the relevant brand temporarily," it wrote.
HKFP
23-04-2025
- HKFP
5 gov't health inspectors accused of stealing food meant for tests were told to toss unused samples, court hears
Five government health inspectors accused of stealing food meant for radiation tests were warned not to keep unused samples, a court has heard. Chan Ying-shan, Lam Hiu-kwan, Yu Fung-chun, Lee Chun-hei, and Lau Shing-hin, who worked for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department's Centre for Food Safety, appeared at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Tuesday for the first day of the trial. Four pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to steal. Separately, Lau pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of stealing and is acting as a prosecution witness. Presided over by Magistrate Edward Wong, the trial began about 10 months after the five inspectors were charged with conspiring to steal food – including canned abalone, white truffle sauce, and crab bisque – ordered for conducting radiation tests. According to an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) statement published when they were charged in June last year, the five health inspectors bought food samples worth around HK$88,000 for radiation tests in mid-2022 and early 2023. A total of 82 food samples were subsequently found at their homes, the ICAC said. On Tuesday, the court heard that Lam had the most food, with 25 food samples found at her home. The food included opened risotto, pasta, and Japanese rice packages, according to The Witness. Lo Chi-ming, a chief health inspector who was testifying for the prosecution, said the proper way to handle untested food samples was to sprinkle a type of powder on the samples to make them go bad before disposal. Staff should also make a record of the time, date, and place of disposal, Lo said. Senior health inspector Lau Hau-kwan – who was the five defendants' supervisor, testified to the court that she had briefed them on the proper handling procedures for food samples. The trial, which is expected to take six days, continued on Wednesday. Under Hong Kong's Theft Ordinance, stealing and conspiring to steal are punishable by up to 10 years in jail, although the maximum sentence meted out at magistrate courts is two years.
