The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) said in a statement on Friday that raw marinated shrimp served by the “Chim Lo Cheong” Thai restaurant on Avenida de Demétrio Cinatti, Ponte 22A, on the Inner Harbour waterfront was found to contain Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus), posing a food safety risk.
According to the statement, IAM staff found that the samples of raw marinated shrimp contained V. parahaemolyticus through routine food sampling and testing, and has ordered the restaurant to stop serving the raw marinated shrimp, as well as rectifying the environmental hygiene and production processes to prevent any food safety risk.
V. parahaemolyticus is a halophilic bacterium widely found in the marine environment and is a common cause of food poisoning, the statement said, adding that foods susceptible to contamination by V. parahaemolyticus are mainly seafood, including fish, shellfish, molluscs, and crustaceans.
According to the statement, V. parahaemolyticus can be effectively sterilised by thorough heating, and there is a higher risk of consumption of raw seafood dishes that have not been thoroughly heated, such as raw marinated shrimp and raw marinated crabs.
The incubation period of food poisoning caused by this organism ranges from 2 to 48 hours, and the main symptoms include watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fever, which may last for two to five days, the statement said.
The bureau reminded local restaurateurs to find out more about the origin and specifications of the ingredients before purchasing products, the statement said, and also urged them to observe food safety principles such as “separation of raw and cooked food” during the production process, and to handle and treat all their dishes properly.
This undated file photo downloaded from the mainland’s online and on-demand delivery platform Dianping yesterday shows raw marinated shrimp served by Macau’s “Chim Lo Cheong” Thai restaurant at Ponte 22A on the Inner Harbour waterfront.
