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A sample of chilli powder collected from a restaurant has been found to contain prohibited dyes, Sudan I and Sudan IV, while another sample of curry chicken has also been found to contain Sudan I, according to results of the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department's latest Food Surveillance Programme.
The department's assistant director of food surveillance and control Dr Thomas Chung said prohibited dyes were believed to come from the curry power used in the recipe. All the concerned chilli and curry powders had been disposed of, he added.
The most up-to-date results involved 4,800 food samples for microbiological and chemical tests.
The microbiological tests, which target pathogenic bacteria and viruses, had satisfactory results, Dr Chung said. Among the 1,700 food samples tested, only two were found to contain pathogens.
One was in a salad which was found to contain Listeria monocytogenes. Another was in a salmon sashimi sample, which tested positive for Salmonella.
Seven unsatisfactory samples
Dr Chung said there was a need to step up hygiene practices in handling ready-to-eat food after many pathogens were detected.
He urged food handlers to be alert and maintain good environmental, food and personal hygiene.
Seven unsatisfactory samples were detected in the 3,100 samples tested for chemicals.
Apart from the chilli powder and curry powder, they found three vegetables containing a low level of cadmium, a naturally other unsatisfactory results involved three vegetable samples, which contained a low level of cadmium, a naturally occurring metal substance in the environment.
High levels of cadmium in the body can produce ill health effects on the respiratory system and it has been associated with bone disease.
Failure rate 0.2%
A sample of satay sauce and a sample of oyster sauce were found to have benzoic acid exceeding the permitted levels, Dr Chung said.
Noting that the seven unsatisfactory samples were unlikely to have acute harmful effects on health, Dr Chung said retailers have been advised to stop selling the products in question and to comply with the legal requirements.
He stressed the overall failure rate of 0.2% under the latest food surveillance programme reflected a high food safety standard in Hong Kong.
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