Toxic oil recalled

December 18, 2012

The Centre for Food Safety has ordered the recall of four cooking oils found to be carrying a carcinogenic hydrocarbon.
 
Thirty-nine oil samples were taken from more than 10 different locations last week. Benzo[a]pyrene, or BaP, was found in four of them. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon is toxic and can cause cancer.
 
Two samples exceeded both the Mainland and the European Union's legal limit, while the other two exceeded just the EU limit. Of the remaining 35 samples, BaP was either not detected, or below the EU limit.
 
The two samples exceeding both the mainland and EU limit were collected from the same brand, and from the product's supplier in Tuen Mun. The other two were collected from the establishment's premises in Kwai Chung.
 
The centre has told the supplier to stop selling the product and to recall it. Further tests will be conducted on the four samples to check for other harmful substances.