The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) said in a statement on Friday that during its regular food sampling, its inspectors tested packets of locally-produced “spicy chicken kidneys” that were found to contain an excessive amount of Listeria monocytogenes.
According to the statement, the bureau has ordered Hap Yek Food Factory, known in Chinese as 合益食品廠, to stop supplying and producing the problematic product, while requiring it to rectify its production and sales process.
The statement underlined that the bureau will keep up inspections of the product, as well as the supermarket and food factory where the product was sold and produced.
The statement said that a follow-up investigation at the production site found that there was a risk of cross-contamination in the handling, storage, and facilities of raw and cooked food, adding that the bureau also required the producer to arrange for its employees to take courses in strengthening the staff’s awareness of hygiene in handling and preparing food.
According to the statement, people who eat Listeria monocytopenia-contaminated products could develop symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. The statement underlined that newborns, senior citizens, and people with weak immune systems could suffer from serious complications, or even die.
The statement stressed that even though Listeria monocytopenia can survive and multiply in cold storage, it can be destroyed by thorough heating.
The bureau urged the catering sector to comply with the government’s food safety guidelines and pay close attention to environmental hygiene, while also urging the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weak immune systems to avoid eating cold dishes, sashimi, sushi, cheese, salad and other foods that have a high risk of being contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes.
This pixilated undated handout photo provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) on Friday shows a pack of locally manufactured “spicy chicken kidney” found to contain Listeria monocytogenes.
