The Centre for Food Safety tested 15,600 food samples in September and October and found 69 - just .04% - to be unsatisfactory.

Four samples of fresh beef and one of fresh pork were found to contain sulphur dioxide. A frozen suckling pig sample and a frozen chicken wing contained veterinary drug residues exceeding the legal limit.

A sample of spicy beef was found to contain salmonella. Two samples of deep-fried minced fish, one of minced fish in fried eggplant, and one of minced fish in fried green pepper were found with a trace amount of malachite green.

A grouper fillet sample was found to contain a metabolite of nitrofuran, while a raw oyster had norovirus nucleic acid.

A non-bottled tea of apricot kernel and chrysanthemum flavour was found to contain illicit colouring matter Orange II.

Meanwhile, another survey on 350 samples of Western and fast-food style breakfast items and beverages found an egg and tomato sandwich sample to contain Bacillus cereus and a sample of instant noodle with mushroom and vegetable with salmonella.

The centre said today most of the exceedances or breaches are not serious and will not pose immediate health risks. It has traced the source of food in question, stopped sale, and issued warning letters.

The trade is urged to use only permitted food additives, follow good manufacturing practices and comply with legal requirements.