The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department on June 30 released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 6,000 food samples tested were satisfactory except for five samples that were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.

A CFS spokesman said about 1,100 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, and about 4,900 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 2,400 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 400 samples of cereals, grains and their products; about 600 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 800 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 700 samples of aquatic and related products, and about 1,100 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).

The five unsatisfactory samples comprised a grass carp sample found to contain traces of malachite green, a cheese sample detected with excessive total bacterial count, a dried durian sample detected with excessive lead, a sample of frozen confection found to contain coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit, and an eggplant sample detected with excessive pesticide residue.

The CFS has taken follow-up action on the 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 for sale 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.