An excessive amount of preservative nitrate has been found in three samples of meat products.

Centre for Food Safety Principal Medical Officer Dr Tina Mok said today that the centre recently took 42 fresh meat and 240 meat product samples for testing. All were satisfactory except three, which contained nitrate at levels exceeding the legal limit by 40% to 300%.

Despite the findings, normal consumption should not pose any adverse health effects, she said. However, authorities have ordered the shops concerned to recall and stop selling the meat in question.

Meanwhile, the centre has enhanced surveillance on scallops, as one sample was recently found to contain a high level of toxin. The source is being traced and more samples have been taken for testing.