Food Safety report for September 2009 released

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) released its Food Safety Report for September, which covered food surveillance results for the month. About 5,300 food samples were tested in September. Of these, about 3,400 were taken for chemical tests and about 1,800 for microbiological and other tests.

The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8%, with 10 samples being found unsatisfactory. While microbiological tests cover pathogens and viruses, chemical tests are to detect pesticides, preservatives and metallic contamination. Samples included vegetables, fruits and their products; meat, poultry and their products; aquatic products; milk, milk products and frozen confections; and cereals, grains and their products.

Vegetables, fruits and products

About 1,700 samples of vegetables, fruits and their products were taken for microbiological and chemical tests.All the samples results were satisfactory.

Meat, poultry and products

The CFS collected about 700 samples of meat, poultry and their products for microbiological and chemical tests. Apart from the three unsatisfactory fresh meat samples tested to contain sulphur dioxide, which had been announced earlier, a sausage sample was found to contain sorbic acid at a level of 740ppm.

The preservative is not permitted to be used in that type of food. All the samples tested for pathogens, veterinary drug residues and colouring matters were satisfactory.

Conclusion

The unsatisfactory chemical test results involved excessive or illegal use of food preservatives, metal contamination or colouring matters in food.

A CFS spokesman urged the food trade to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practices and comply with legal requirements. On the detection of the pathogen Clostridium perfringens in a food sample, he said that could be indications of unsatisfactory hygiene conditions during food processing and production, especially for inappropriate food holding temperature and inadequate reheating or cooking of food. He reminded restaurant operators to follow the "Five Keys to Food Safety" to prevent food poisoning.

On the fish sample detected with excessive mercury, the spokesman advised consumers to have moderate consumption of fish as it contains many essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids and high quality proteins. People should maintain a balanced diet and eat a variety of fish. When choosing fish for food, young children, pregnant women and women planning for pregnancy should avoid eating large predatory fish.

The CFS has taken follow-up actions in respect of the unsatisfactory samples. They included tracing the food sources, asking concerned vendors to stop selling and to dispose of the affected food, taking further samples and issuing warning letters. "If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution will be taken," the spokesman said.


Source: 7thspace.com

Publication date: 11/2/2009

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