The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong had found a sample of dark chocolate-flavoured soft ice-cream from Godiva Chocolatier in Cityplaza, Quarry Bay to contain a bacterial count surpassing the legal limit.
Results revealed an alarming bacterial count of 2,300,000 per gram, significantly surpassing the permissible limit. The vendor was notified and asked to immediately halt the sale of the product. Stringent instructions on hygiene and disinfection have been issued to avoid similar incidence happening in future.
According to the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap. 132AC), frozen confections available for sale must not exceed 50,000 bacteria per gram. Violators are subject to severe penalties, including a fine of up to HK$10,000 (US$1,280) and a potential 3-month imprisonment upon conviction. While the elevated bacterial count indicates substandard hygiene conditions, it is important to note that consumption does not necessarily equate to food poisoning.
Meanwhile, in another related development, a locally manufactured pistachio-flavoured ice-cream sample was also found to contain coliform bacteria exceeding the legal limit. This time, the sample was collected from a licensed frozen confection factory in Sha Tin under the Food Surveillance Programme. Test results showed that the pistachio ice cream sample contained 260 coliform bacteria per gram, exceeding the legal limit of 100 coliform bacteria per gram.
Ice cream contamination is relatively rare although this can happen during product handling, processing and packaging.
