The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 15) that a sample of prepackaged crushed red pepper and a sample of prepackaged oregano were found to contain a pesticide, ethylene oxide. Members of the public should not consume the affected products. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected products immediately if they possess them.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Crushed Red PepperBrand: Spice HunterPlace of origin: The United StatesNet weight: 36 grams Best-before date: November 15, 2027Distributor: V-Care Asia Ltd.Hotline: 2365 9985
Product name: Organic OreganoBrand: BarnesPlace of origin: IndiaNet weight: 24 gramsBest-before date: June 15, 2027Distributor: Co Op Buy Ltd. Hotline: 9015 9022
A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned samples from two online vendors for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that the samples contained a pesticide, ethylene oxide. The CFS has informed the vendors concerned of the irregularity and instructed them to stop sales and remove from shelves the affected products. According to the CFS's instructions, the distributors concerned have initiated recalls on the affected products. Members of the public may call the respective hotlines above during office hours for enquiries about the recalls of the products concerned."
The spokesman continued, "According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, ethylene oxide is genotoxic and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. According to the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap. 132CM), a food for human consumption containing pesticide residue may only be sold if consumption of the food is not dangerous or prejudicial to health. An offender is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months upon conviction."
The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incidents and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing. Ends/Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Source of Information (Centre for Food Safety: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/press/20260715_12501.html)
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 10) that a sample of locally manufactured tofu-flavoured ice-cream was found to contain coliform bacteria and its count exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the incident.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "In view of hot weather, CFS has been enhancing surveillance of frozen confection. The CFS collected the above-mentioned ice-cream sample from a permitted premises for sales of frozen confections in Kwun Tong for testing. The test result showed that the sample contained 1,200 coliform bacteria per gram, exceeding the legal limit."
"The CFS has informed the premises concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop selling and to dispose all the affected ice-cream immediately. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the premises, who have also been requested to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection of the premises," the spokesman said.
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 count exceeded the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. Ends/Friday, July 10, 2026
Source of Information (Centre for Food Safety: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/press/20260710_12493.html)
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 30) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 6,000 food samples tested (including food items purchased online) were found to be satisfactory except for 19 unsatisfactory samples that were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.7 per cent.
A CFS spokesman said that about 2,100 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, and about 3,900 samples were taken for chemical and radiation level tests.
The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators; the chemical tests included testing for pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others; and the radiation-level tests included testing for radioactive caesium and iodine in samples collected from imported food from different regions.
The samples comprised about 1,400 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 500 samples of cereals, grains and their products; about 600 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 1,100 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 900 samples of aquatic and related products; and about 1,500 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
The 19 unsatisfactory samples were a prepackaged dried lily bulb sample and a prepackaged dried porcini sample detected with metallic contaminants exceeding the legal limits; a tomato sample detected with a pesticide residue exceeding the legal limit; a beef congee sample found to contain sulphur dioxide; a beef skewer sample detected with a preservative exceeding the legal limit; a prepackaged pork floss sample detected with an antioxidant exceeding the legal limit; two soft ice-cream samples, a frozen confection sample and two imported frozen confection samples detected with coliform bacteria counts exceeding the legal limits; five imported frozen confection samples detected with coliform bacteria and total bacterial counts exceeding the legal limits; two bottled mineral water samples found to contain a trace amount of Enterococci; and a growing up formula powder sample found with the possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus.
The CFS has taken follow-up actions on the above-mentioned unsatisfactory samples, including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items, and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.
Separately, in response to the Japanese Government's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the CFS will continue enhancing the testing on imported Japanese food, and make reference to the risk assessment results to adjust relevant surveillance work in a timely manner. The CFS will announce every working day on its dedicated webpage (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/daily_japan_nuclear_incidents.html) the radiological test results of the samples of food imported from Japan, with a view to enabling the trade and members of the public to have a better grasp of the latest safety information. Ends/Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Source of Information (Centre for Food Safety: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/press/20260630_12482.html)
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 26) urged the public not to consume a kind of prepackaged frozen sardines as it was found to contain histamine. The trade should stop using or selling the affected product immediately if they possess it.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: FZ Atlantic Northeast Wild Caught Sardine FilletBrand: FZ Place of origin: FranceNet Weight: 200 grams per packBest-before date: March 28, 2027Retailer: Foodie Yard by HKTVmall
A CFS spokesman said, "The CFS collected the abovementioned frozen sardine sample from an online vendor for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained histamine at a level of 1,100 milligrams per kilogram."
"The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularities. The vendor has removed from shelves and stopped sale of the affected product, and initiated a recall according to the CFS' instructions. Members of the public may call the vendor's hotline at 6892 2227 during office hours for enquiries about the recall," the spokesman added.
The spokesman said that histamine is commonly found in certain kinds of fish such as tuna, sardine, mackerel and anchovy, as a result of bacterial spoilage. Consumption of fish containing high levels of histamine can cause foodborne intoxication. Symptoms of histamine poisoning include tingling and burning sensations around the mouth, facial flushing and sweating, nausea, vomiting, headache, palpitations, dizziness and rash. The onset of intoxication symptoms is within a few hours after consumption, and these symptoms will normally disappear within 12 hours without long-term effects, the spokesman noted.
The CFS will alert the trade to the incident and will continue to monitor the case and take appropriate follow-up action. The investigation is ongoing. Ends/Friday, June 26, 2026
Source of Information (Centre for Food Safety: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/press/20260626_12472.html)
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 25) announced that an imported crab sample from Vietnam was detected to contain cadmium, a metallic contaminant, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the incident.
"The CFS collected the above-mentioned crab sample at the import level for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained cadmium at a level of 5.2 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 2 ppm," the CFS spokesman said.
"Long-term excessive intake of cadmium may affect the kidney functions. The CFS has informed the importer concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sales and remove from shelves the affected product. The CFS is also tracing the source and distribution of the product concerned," the spokesman added.
According to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap. 132V), any person who sells food with metallic contamination above the legal limit is liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.
The CFS will alert the Vietnamese authorities and the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing. Ends/Thursday, June 25, 2026
Source of Information (Centre for Food Safety: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/press/20260625_12468.html)
The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 19) that, following the notification from the Shenzhen authority of the resumption of clearance services at Man Kam To boundary control point (BCP) at 8pm yesterday (June 18), all goods vehicles carrying fresh food were allowed to resume entering Hong Kong via Man Kam To BCP last night. The temporary food control office set up at the Liantang Port (Heung Yuen Wai BCP) will continue to operate until 2pm todayto facilitate the trade. Ends/Friday, June 19, 2026
Source of Information (Centre for Food Safety: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/press/20260619_12464.html)
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 18) that, in response to notification from the Shenzhen authority, fresh food clearance services at the Man Kam To boundary control point (BCP) have been suspended due to the rainstorms and flooding in the area and facilities until operations at the Shenzhen Man Kam To BCP resume.
The CFS has made emergency response arrangements and flexibly deployed staff to the Inbound Cargo Examination Building at the Liantang Port (Heung Yuen Wai BCP) to set up a temporary food control office for the clearance of vehicles carrying fresh food. In addition, vehicles carrying fresh food may also enter Hong Kong via the Hong Kong Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
The CFS will continue to maintain close liaison and co-ordination with the relevant authority. Ends/Thursday, June 18, 2026
Source of Information (Centre for Food Safety: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/press/20260618_12462.html)
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 12) announced the results of a recently completed seasonal food surveillance project on rice dumplings. Of the 160 samples tested, one prepackaged rice dumpling sample was found with a total fat content inconsistent with the declared value on its nutrition label that was announced earlier. The remaining samples passed the tests. The CFS has taken follow-up actions on the above-mentioned unsatisfactory sample, and the vendor concerned has also stopped selling the relevant batch of the affected product. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence. Rice dumplings are a popular festive food for the Tuen Ng Festival. The project aims to provide information on safe consumption of rice dumplings to consumers and the trade in a timely manner. "The CFS collected samples of rice dumplings from different retail outlets (including online retailers and online food delivery platforms) and food premises (including restaurants and food factories) for chemical, microbiological and nutrition content analyses. The chemical analyses included tests for colouring matters, preservatives, metallic contamination, mineral oil, antioxidants, sweeteners and pesticide residues. The microbiological analyses covered pathogenic bacteria including Salmonella, coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms, Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus. In addition, nutrition contents such as energy contents, protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, sodium and sugars of the samples were also tested to check whether the test results complied with their declared values on the nutrition labels," a spokesman for the CFS said. The spokesman reminded members of the public to observe the following food safety tips in purchasing, preparing, storing and consuming rice dumplings: Buying rice dumplings------------------------* Buy rice dumplings from reliable outlets;* When purchasing non-prepackaged rice dumplings, choose those that are securely wrapped in wrapping leaves; and* When purchasing prepackaged rice dumplings, check the expiry date and whether the packaging is intact. Home-made rice dumplings-----------------------------* Buy wrapping leaves from reliable suppliers and avoid leaves that are unnaturally bright green or with chemical odours;* Wash hands and utensils thoroughly before and after handling food; and* Handle raw and cooked food separately to avoid cross-contamination. Storing and preparing rice dumplings---------------------------------------* Consume rice dumplings as soon as possible and avoid prolonged storage;* Both the glutinous rice and the stuffing should be well covered until the rice dumplings are unwrapped. Do not come into direct contact with the strings upon cooking to prevent contamination at all times.* Store rice dumplings at 4 degrees Celsius or below, or store them properly according to the instructions on the package if they are not consumed or cooked immediately;* Keep cooked rice dumplings that are not consumed immediately in a covered container and put them in the upper compartment of the refrigerator. Keep raw food in the lower compartment to prevent cross-contamination;* Reheat rice dumplings thoroughly until the core temperature reaches 75 degrees C or above before consumption;* Do not reheat rice dumplings more than once; and* Consume reheated rice dumplings as soon as possible. Consuming rice dumplings----------------------------* Wash hands with running water and liquid soap, and rub for at least 20 seconds before consumption; and* Reduce seasonings such as soy sauce or granulated sugar during consumption. The spokesman said, "Rice dumplings in general are relatively high in energy, fat and salt. During the festival, people should maintain a balanced diet, and consume rice dumplings moderately, with due consideration of their health condition. People are recommended to share rice dumplings with their family members and friends, as this not only enhances the festive atmosphere, but also allows them to taste rice dumplings of different flavours and avoid over-consumption. People are also advised to make use of nutrition labels on prepackaged food to compare their nutritional contents for healthier food choices." The spokesman also reminded the food trade to purchase food ingredients from reliable suppliers and maintain proper records to facilitate source tracing when necessary. They should follow Good Manufacturing Practice in the preparation of food products and comply with legal requirements when using food additives. The spokesman advised the food trade to adopt the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System to identify, assess and control possible hazards in the food production process. Ends/Friday, June 12, 2026 The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 12) announced the test results of the seasonal food surveillance project on rice dumplings. Of the 160 samples tested, one sample was found with a total fat content inconsistent with the declared value on its nutrition label. The remaining samples passed the tests. Source of Information (Centre for Food Safety: https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/press/20260612_12450.html)
