Chinese preserved sausage sample not in compliance with nutrition label rules
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (November 24) announced that the sodium content in a Chinese preserved sausage sample was found to be inconsistent with the declared value on its nutrition label. Follow-up is in progress.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: On Kee Premium Preserved Sausages
Place of origin: China
Distributor: On Kee Dry Seafood Company Limited
Net weight: 300 grams per pack
Best-before date: March 31, 2017
"The above-mentioned sample was taken from a supermarket in Tsuen Wan under the CFS' regular Food Surveillance Programme. The result of chemical analysis showed a discrepancy between the actual sodium content of the sample (1,800 mg per 100g) and the declared content on its nutrition label (1,050mg per 100g)," a spokesman for the CFS said.
According to the CFS' Technical Guidance Notes on Nutrition Labelling and Nutrition Claims, the tolerance limit for sodium content is set at the level of not more than 120 per cent of the labelled value.
"The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and the vendor has voluntarily stopped selling and removed from shelves the affected batch of the product. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence. The CFS is also following up with the distributor concerned to trace the distribution of the affected product, and request the distributor to stop sale of the product and remove it from shelves," the spokesman said.
According to Section 61 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), if any person falsely describes a food or misleads as to the nature, substance or quality of the food on a label of the food sold by him, he shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction.
The CFS will inform the trade, continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action.
Ends/Tuesday, November 24, 2015