Bottled fruit juice sample in breach of food labelling regulations

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 6) that a bottled fruit juice sample was found to be in breach of food labelling regulations for not declaring on its food label that it contained preservatives, benzoic acid and sorbic acid. The CFS urged the trade to stop selling the affected batch of the product immediately.

Details of the product are as follows:

Product name: HYAKU 100% Cold Pressed (Orange, Pineapple, Grapefruit, Lime)
Place of origin: Hong Kong
Manufacturer: HYAKU Group Ltd
Volume: 270 millilitres per bottle
Best-before date: October 11, 2017

"While investigating a referral case, the CFS collected the above-mentioned fruit juice sample from a retail outlet in Wan Chai for testing. The test result showed that the sample contained benzoic acid at a level of 53 parts per million (ppm) and sorbic acid at a level of 250 ppm, which was not declared on its food label," the spokesman said.

"The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop selling and remove from shelves the affected batch of product. Should there be sufficient evidence, prosecution will be instituted. The CFS is also tracing the distribution of the affected product," 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/Friday, October 6, 2017