April food-safety tests 99.99% satisfactory

May 31, 2013

The Centre for Food Safety's April food-safety tests found just one food sample to be unsatisfactory, for an overall satisfactory rate of 99.99%.
 
The centre released its food safety report findings for last month today. Of the 7,500 food samples tested, a sweetened lotus seed sample was found to contain sodium dehydroacetate, a preservative not permitted in such products, at a level of 8.5 ppm.
 
Based on the level of the preservative detected, normal consumption is unlikely to cause adverse health effects, it said.
 
Overall, about 1,500 food samples had been taken for chemical tests. About 1,200 samples were collected for microbiological tests and the remaining 4,800 (including about 4,500 samples taken from food imported from Japan) for testing of radiation levels.
 
Apart from the above-mentioned sample, all results were satisfactory.
 
The centre has taken follow-up action including tracing the source of the unsatisfactory item and its disposal.