Updates on CFS' follow-up on incident of prepackaged frozen vegetable products suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said today (July 10) that the Centre has been following up on the incident of prepackaged frozen vegetable products produced by Greenyard Frozen suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and has earlier instructed the local importers concerned to stop sale and recall several kinds of affected products. The CFS has conducted further investigation according to the updated list of recall products provided by the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and found that the following affected frozen vegetable products have also been imported into Hong Kong. The CFS urged members of the public not to consume the affected products. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them.
Details of the products are as follows:
1. Product name: Sainsbury's Carrots, Broccoli and Sweetcorn Microwaveable steam bags
Packing: Four small packs of 135 grams per pack
Importer: The Dairy Farm Company Limited
Best-before date: All codes to January 2020 inclusive
2. Product name: Growers Pride Supersweet Sweetcorn
Packing: 450g per pack
Importer: PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited
Best-before date: All codes to July 2021 inclusive
3. Product name: Tesco Mixed Vegetables with Red Peppers
Packing: 1 kilogram per pack
Importer: China Resources Vanguard (HK) Company Limited
Best-before date: All codes to January 2020 inclusive
4. Product name: Tesco Classic Mixed Vegetables (Resealable)
Packing: 1kg per pack
Importer: China Resources Vanguard (HK) Company Limited
Best-before date: All codes to January 2020 inclusive
"The CFS' further investigation found that three local importers had imported the above affected products into Hong Kong for sale at their chain supermarkets. The importers concerned have already stopped sale and removed from shelves the affected products and initiated a recall according to the CFS' instructions. Members of the public may call the hotlines of the importers concerned, the Dairy Farm Company Limited at 2299 1133, PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited at 2606 8658 and China Resources Vanguard (HK) Company Limited at 2586 3000, during office hours for enquiries about the recall," a CFS spokesman said.
In addition, the Centre has received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that frozen vegetable products produced by Greenyard Frozen are also being recalled due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. According to the information provided by the RASFF, a local importer had imported an affected batch of product. The CFS' investigation confirmed that the product concerned had been imported and sold out.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Pinguin Sweet Corn Kernels
Packing: 2.5kg per pack
Importer: Buah Buahan Ltd
Best-before date: June 2, 2019
"Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns," the spokesman said.
The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected products if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them.
The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to monitor the cases and take appropriate follow-up action, including making timely announcements on the latest information of the products which need to be recalled. Investigation is ongoing.
Ends/Tuesday, July 10, 2018