The Centre for Food Safety has found three of 516 Lunar New Year food samples it tested unsatifactory. Shops concerned have been warned and asked to stop selling the products. It is tracing these foods' sources.

The test samples included festive cakes, turnip puddings, sesame balls, crispy triangles, melon seeds, sweetened fruits and vegetables, glutinous rice balls, vegetarian foods, preserved meat, dried seafood and poon choi. All passed the microbiological tests.

For the chemical tests, two sweetened winter-melon samples were found to contain the preservative sulphur dioxide exceeding the permitted level. A Chinese pork sausage sample was found to contain non-permitted colouring matter Red 2G.

Sulphur dioxide's toxicity is low, but people who are allergic to it may suffer respiratory discomfort, headaches and nausea. The levels of sulphur dioxide detected in the samples should not pose adverse health effects if eaten in normal amounts.

Although the immediate health risk of eating food with Red 2G is low, its risk of causing cancer cannot be excluded upon long-term consumption.

People should buy foods from reliable shops. Raw and cooked foods should be stored separately to avoid cross contamination.