The food at a Tseung Kwan O primary school where there was a suspected food poisoning outbreak has been found to have been contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus, acting Deputy Director of Food & Environmental Hygiene Dr Philip Ho says.

Speaking on a radio talk show this morning, Dr Ho said among the food samples taken during the outbreak, five have been tested to contain the bacterium, which is commonly present in the human nasal passage, throat, hair and skin.

Moreover, inspections of the food factory supplying sushi to the school showed that its environment and food temperature control is not satisfactory. There is also room for improving its food production process.

The department will seek legal advice and see if legal action needs to be taken, Dr Ho said, adding that it will also review the existing monitoring mechanism.

He pointed out that lunch box suppliers and food manufacturers have to ensure food safety and observe good hygiene practices. If they do not follow the law and licence conditions, they may face penalties or even have their licences revoked.

The department will continue to inspect food factories on a regular basis, and advice on selecting lunch box suppliers will be given to schools through talks.