A trace amount of Sudan IV has been detected in a rice dumpling sample collected from a restaurant recently, Centre for Food Safety says.

The centre's Principal Medical Officer Dr Tina Mok said today that about 49 rice dumpling samples were collected for chemical and microbiological tests. Forty-eight were satisfactory and the remaining one was found to have contained Sudan IV at the level of 0.12 parts per million.

The restaurant bought the product from a manufacturer in Yuen Long. As Sudan dye is not permitted in food products, the restaurant and the manufacturer have been ordered to stop selling the product. The centre may prosecute them.

As the level of the chemical was low, normal consumption of the food product would not pose any health hazard, she said. She urged people to buy glutinous rice dumplings from reliable, reputable retail outlets and avoid prolonged storage. Reheat the dumplings thoroughly for at least 15 minutes with the centre temperature at 75 degrees Celsius before consumption.