The number of food incidents that may affect Hong Kong increased in 2024, according to the Center for Food Safety (CFS).
The Surveillance System (FISS) of the food incident monitors problems outside Hong Kong that may influence domestic food safety.
In 2024, CFS detected nearly 5,300 incidents via FISS compared to 3,500 notifications in 2023. The agency investigated the availability of the products involved locally by reviewing import records, conducting coordination with international authorities and checks with local traders.
If affected products were available in their own country, CFS implemented steps for risk management, depending on a risk assessment and in accordance with the local regulations. These measures include stopping the sale of affected products, product troops, import collections and improving the supervision of relevant products.
Impact of chemical and microbial hazards
CFS also uses the International Food Safety Authorities Network (Infosan) and the rapid warning system of the European Union for Food and Feed (Rasff) to manage food safety.
CFS has issued 442 posts for food incident, 20 press releases, 20 commercial warnings and 16 food warnings.
Most incidents relate to microbiological and chemical dangers, which are 34 percent and 31 percent respectively. Chemical dangers include the use of excessive food additives and toxins, while examples of microbial dangers are Listeria, Salmonella and Norovirus.
Physical dangers, such as plastic, glass or metal contamination, lay behind 18 percent of the reports followed by other issues such as incorrect date -Labeling, which was cited in 17 percent of the cases.
An example is the outbreak of Bongkrekic acid in Taiwan. Bongkrekic acid is a toxin produced by the bacteria Burkholderia Gladioli Pathovar Cocovenans. The outbreak caused 33 diseases and six dead.
Checks at import and retail in Hong Kong found no import of the affected rice noodles. Improved surveillance results from local rice noodle products for bongkrekic acid were satisfactory.
CFS organized a forum about the safe handling of rice and noodles to prevent food poisoning, including bong cricketic acid, to increase awareness. The agency also inspected a local factory that produced rice noodle products. The overall hygiene condition of the site was in accordance with a HACCP food safety system.
Data on cases of food poisoning
In November 2024, CFS identified a notification from the American Food and Drug Administration that carrots were recalled due to possible contamination with E. Coli O121. The CFS contacted local importers and this revealed that a company had imported roots in Hong Kong. The CFS told the importer to stop selling and removing these products from the shelves and initiating a recall.
In the meantime, the three most common causes of food poisoning in 2024 were raw food, food infection due to dirty utensils and not cooked food.
Data revealed in response to a question in the legislative council showed 50 outbreaks with food buildings that made 220 people sick in the fourth quarter of 2024.
There were 22 outbreaks with 154 cases in the third quarter, 68 outbreaks with 181 cases in the second quarter and 52 outbreaks with 184 cases in the first quarter. Only one incident concerned buildings without a permit.
In 2024 there were 777 persecutions against licensed food outputs and 3,337 persecutions against non -licensed sites. Six companies had canceled their food business license.
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