SOGO pistachio spread recalled over aflatoxin breach
On.cc · 3 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety said a bottled pistachio spread bought from SOGO supermarket in Causeway Bay was found to contain aflatoxin at 120 micrograms per kilogram, far above the legal maximum of 10 micrograms per kilogram for food. The centre has notified the retailer and the sole agent, and ordered the affected batch to be stopped from sale, removed from shelves and recalled.
Key Points
- The affected product is Natural Forest “Pure Pistachio Spread”, a 110-gram bottled item made in China with a best-before date of April 16, 2027.
- The retailer identified by the authorities is SOGO supermarket in Causeway Bay, while the sole agent is Lam Si Fu Food Company Limited.
- The Centre for Food Safety said the sample was collected through its routine food surveillance programme from a supermarket in Causeway Bay.
- Laboratory testing found 120 micrograms of aflatoxin per kilogram, compared with the legal ceiling of 10 micrograms per kilogram under Hong Kong regulations.
- Residents who bought the affected product should stop consuming it, and can call the sole agent’s hotline at 2763 9596 during office hours about the recall.
Why It Matters
Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring toxin that has been classified as carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, and long-term intake may cause liver cancer. The Centre for Food Safety said the risk is greater for hepatitis B carriers, while a joint FAO/WHO expert committee has advised keeping dietary exposure as low as reasonably possible.