Public warned against consuming two unsafe food products (with photo)
A spokesman for the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (March 26) urged the public to refrain from consuming two kinds of food products. One is a pre-packaged mixed soybean paste manufactured in Korea which is suspected to contain an allergen, peanut, but has not been declared on the product's food label. The other is a Nestle chocolate, called Kit Kat Chunky Collection Giant Egg, as the chocolate waffle inside the egg may contain small pieces of plastic.
The spokesman advised consumers who are allergic to peanuts to refrain from eating the Korean product mentioned above which does not carry a food label explicitly declaring the presence of peanuts. The trade should also stop selling it immediately.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Mixed Soybean Paste (Sesame & Garlic)
Manufacturer: Daesang Corporation
Importer: Kofco Enterprise (Aisa) Co, Ltd
Place of origin: Korea
Packing size: 500 grammes
"The CFS learned from an announcement by the American authorities that the concerned product was suspected to contain peanuts but had not been declared on the food label. Upon investigation, the CFS found that an importer had imported the concerned product and it was on sale in certain chain supermarkets.
"Peanut is a known food allergen. Those who are allergic to it may develop symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, asthma and rash upon consumption. In severe cases anaphylactic shock may even develop," the spokesman said.
He said warning letters would be issued to the importer and supermarket concerned. The trade has also been alerted to stop selling the product. CFS staff have conducted checks on the concerned importer and supermarkets. Sale of these products was stopped.
"The concerned importer indicated to the CFS that recall of the product concerned is under way. For enquiries about the recall, consumers may call the company's telephone hotline (2307 6152) during office hours. The CFS noted that proper declarations had been added to food labels of the unsold products as well as all products of the same kind imported afterwards," the spokesman said.
The spokesman advised consumers who have bought the particular product and are allergic to peanuts to stop eating it, regardless of any batch. People should seek medical treatment if they feel unwell after taking the food.
Furthermore, the CFS urged the public not to consume a Nestle chocolate, Kit Kat Chunky Collection Giant Egg, as the chocolate waffle inside the egg may contain small pieces of plastic. The trade should also stop selling the product concerned.
The CFS noticed through its routine Food Incident Surveillance System that the producer concerned, upon receiving complaints abroad about small pieces of plastic found in its products, voluntarily recalled four flavours of Kit Kat chocolate waffles and the Giant Egg which contains those affected chocolate waffles.
The centre had immediately contacted the British authorities and the agent in Hong Kong, and had alerted the trade about the incident.
The CFS eventually learnt that a small amount of Kit Kat Chunky Collection Giant Egg were available for sale in Hong Kong. The local agent has also initiated a recall of the affected product. For enquiries about the recall arrangement, consumers may call the agent's hotline at 2179 8888 operating from 9am to 6pm on weekdays (except public holidays), the spokesman said.
The CFS will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate follow-up action. No reports of people feeling unwell after consumption of the affected product or complaints about it have so far been received.
People who wish to learn more about the affected products may visit the agent's website http://www.nestle.com.hk/media/pressreleases/kitkat.
The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (March 26) that a Korean pre-packaged mixed soybean paste is suspected to contain peanut, an allergen, but has not explicitly been declared on the product's food label. Picture shows the concerned product.
Ends/Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Issued at HKT 20:20