Undeclared allergen (milk) found in bottled rice drink

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 24) announced that a kind of bottled rice drink produced in Korea was found to contain a food allergen, milk, but it was not declared on the food label. A spokesman for the CFS advised consumers who are allergic to milk to refrain from consuming the product. The trade should also stop selling the product concerned immediately.

Product details are as follows:
Product name: Woongjin Morning Rice Drink
Place of origin: Korea
Manufacturer: Woongjin Foods Co., Ltd
Volumes : 500 millilitres/1.5 litres per bottle
Product codes: (500 millilitres) 8801382124528/(1.5 litres) 8801382123446

"The CFS has learned through its Food Incident Surveillance System a notice issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that the abovementioned rice drink contains milk which can cause food allergies but it is not declared on the food label. The trade in Canada is recalling the affected product. The CFS immediately followed up with major local retailers. Preliminary investigation found that an online retailer, HKTV mall, had sold the affected product. The vendor has stopped sale and removed from shelves the affected product according to the instructions of CFS. A recall has also been initiated," the spokesman said.

Members of the public may call HKTV mall's hotline at 2637 0646 for enquiries during office hours about the recall. Meanwhile, for the sake of prudence, the CFS has conducted sales checks at local retail outlets and so far no affected product was found available for sale.

The spokesman advised consumers who are allergic to milk to stop consuming the product concerned. People should seek medical treatment if they feel unwell after consuming it.

"People who are allergic to milk may have immunologic response like vomiting, diarrhoea and rash upon consumption of food containing this allergen. In severe cases, anaphylactic shock may even develop. As for other members of the public, generally speaking, they would not be subject to such reactions when the food in question is consumed," he said.

The Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) require that all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong should list out the food ingredients in its list of ingredients. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.

The CFS will alert the trade to the incident and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.

Ends/Sunday, July 24, 2016