Hong Kong authorities have ordered a branch of Belgian luxury chocolatier Godiva to halt the sale of its dark chocolate soft ice cream after a sample was found to contain a bacterial count 46 times above the legal limit.
The Centre for Food Safety said on Thursday that the sample collected from the shop at Cityplaza in Tai Koo had 2.3 million bacteria per gram – 46 times higher than the legal limit of 50,000.
“The centre has informed the vendor involved of the irregularity and instructed it to stop selling and immediately dispose of the affected product,” a spokesman said. “Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.”
Under the Frozen Confections Regulation, those convicted of selling frozen confections with bacterial levels exceeding the legal limit face a maximum penalty of a fine of HK$10,000 (US$1,273) and three months’ imprisonment.
The spokesman said the centre had asked Godiva to carry out a thorough cleaning and disinfection.
He added that the centre had also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the vendor’s representative and staff.
The centre also noted that the total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit indicated unsatisfactory hygienic conditions, but that did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
