Food tests recently conducted by the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department show food safety standards remain high in Hong Kong.

Department Assistant Director Dr Thomas Chung said the overall failure rate for 5,000 food samples collected under the Food Surveillance Programme last month was consistently low.

The findings included those for a targeted survey in October and November on 400 samples of processed meat and meat products testing for food additives. The samples included bacon, ham, pickled meat, meatballs, sausages, Chinese preserved sausages and canned meat.

Dr Chung said the analysis conducted under the department's regular food surveillance programme included both microbiological and chemical testing.

"For microbiological tests, which target pathogenic bacteria and viruses, the results obtained last month for some 1,200 food samples were all satisfactory."

Chemicals found

As for the 3,800 chemical test results, 18 failures were detected, with eight failing the tests on preservative, six on colouring, three on heavy metal and one on pesticide. These included three samples of Japanese Hijiki seaweeds found to have a high level of arsenic, a naturally occurring metallic substance in the environment.

"Long term exposure to a high level of arsenic may lead to chronic toxicity and cause cancer. As a precaution, people are advised to avoid eating Hijiki seaweed," Dr Chung said, adding that six orange samples had illicit colouring Citrus Red No.2 in their peel.

Dr Chung said to address food safety concerns, the department has been taking 500 more samples a month since October.

"In addition to foods with specific standards set by law, our programme will focus particularly on high-risk food items, such as those implicated in previous food poisoning outbreaks, food safety incidents and those subject to public complaint or of public concern."

The department is releasing food surveillance findings monthly this year.