The Centre for Food Safety has announced that samples taken from ice cream imported from New Zealand and yoghurt made locally were found to have a coliform count exceeding the legal limit.
Coliform counts measure the amount of coliform bacteria in food. Coliform bacteria (such as E. coli) are always present in animals’, including humans’, digestive tracts and faeces, and are also found in plants and soil, according to the New York Department of Health. Most coliforms do not cause disease.
The Hong Kong government however assures you that testing for coliforms is not necessarily intended to detect faecal contamination, but rather to see the “general hygiene” during food production.
Mmhmmm. Right.
Because fine poop particles lightly dust the surface of all objects on this planet, the legal limit for coliform counts for frozen confections is 100 organisms per gram.
A sample of New Zealand Natural brand “Chocolate Ecstasy” ice cream (how appropriate), imported from its namesake country, was found to contain 360 coliform organisms per gram. It is believed that 25 cartons of this ice cream have been sold.
The product has been recalled and its import halted, while the authorities are considering prosecution.
Another sample, this one from a frozen yoghurt shop called “Fairykiss” on Nathan Road in Mong Kok, was found to contain a whopping 630 coliform organisms per gram.
The shop was ordered to stop selling the yoghurt immediately and the Centre for Health Protection has “requested” them to sanitise their premises.
The centre will provide health education to the staff involved so that they can learn how to prepare food safely, though it only raises the question as to why they didn’t know how to do it in the first place.
Photo: jameslawk5 via OpenRice (L), nzindia.com (R)
