Prepackaged gummy candy sample not in compliance with nutrition label rule

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 29) announced that the sodium content of a prepackaged gummy candy sample was found to be inconsistent with the declared content on its nutrition label. The CFS urged the trade to stop selling the affected batch of the product immediately.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Gummi Bears
Brand name: Essential Everyday
Place of origin: USA
Distributor: The Dairy Farm Company Limited
Net weight: 14 ounces/396 grams per pack
Best-before date: March 17, 2017

A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS has previously announced that the sodium content of a prepackaged gummy candy sample taken from a supermarket in Sai Ying Pun was found to be inconsistent with the declared content on its nutrition label. In its follow-up investigation, the CFS detected a similar irregularity in another sample of the same kind but of a different batch from the same supermarket. The test result showed that there was a discrepancy between the actual sodium content (80mg per 100g) and the declared content (15mg per 39g, i.e. about 38.5mg per 100g) on its nutrition label.

"The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and the vendor concerned has stopped sale and removed from shelves the affected batch of the product according to the instructions of the CFS. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence. The CFS is also tracing the distribution of the affected product," he added.

According to Section 61 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), if any person falsely describes 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/Thursday, December 29, 2016