The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department on August 31 released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 6,000 food samples tested were satisfactory except for 10 samples that were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8 per cent.

A CFS spokesman said about 1,500 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, and about 4,500 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 2,200 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 400 samples of cereals and grain products; about 400 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 1,400 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 600 samples of aquatic and related products; and about 1,000 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).

The 10 unsatisfactory samples comprised samples of a goldfish, a crucian carp and a prepackaged snakehead found to contain malachite green; a common oriental clam sample found to contain a veterinary drug, chloramphenicol; a longan sample detected with excessive sulphur dioxide; a sample of egg sandwiches detected with an excessive total bacterial count; a frozen confection sample detected with coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit; a fresh beef sample found to contain sulphur dioxide; an onion sample found to contain cadmium exceeding the legal limit; and a yard-long bean sample detected with pesticide residue exceeding the legal limit.

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.