By Coconuts Hong Kong July 28, 2015 / 10:14 HKT
A sample of mango sorbet made by local gelato company da dolce has failed a Centre for Food Safety (CFS) coliform test for the second time.
Coliform counts measure the amount of coliform bacteria (e.g. E. coli) in food. Coliform bacteria – which don’t always cause disease – are always present in humans’ and animals’ digestive tracts and faeces, and are also found in plants and soil, according to the New York Department of Health.
Before you puke in your mouth, you should know that testing for coliforms is not necessarily intended to detect poop contamination, but rather to see the level of “general hygiene” of the food production, says the Hong Kong government.
The government first detected excessive coliform levels in a sample of mango sorbet on July 23. Upon testing another sample from the same batch, the government found that it yet again surpassed the legal limit for coliforms.
da dolce has two locations, one in Kowloon Bay and another in Ngong Ping on Lantau Island.
“The CFS has informed the manufacturer concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to suspend production of the sorbet concerned, carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection, and review and improve its manufacturing process,” said a CFS spokesperson.
“Prosecution will also be considered," he continued.
The manufacturer, Wealthy Making Limited, has already voluntarily stopped making the offending sorbet. However the authorities will make sure that there remains none for sale on the market, lest someone accidentally ingest some poo-flavoured dessert.
Image: Composite of photos fromwww.dadolce.com
http://hongkong.coconuts.co/2015/07/28/locally-made-sorbet-fails-hygiene-test-second-time
