HK McDonald's Shrimp Patties Safe After Antibiotic Testing Confirms No Banned Substances
Thestandard · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong McDonald's confirmed on Monday that its shrimp patties are safe for consumption after multiple rounds of independent laboratory testing found no traces of a banned antibiotic. The fast-food chain had voluntarily suspended sales of its entire shrimp burger line after Taiwan halted sales of similar products when imported shrimp patties were found to contain 0.7 parts per billion of nitrofurans, a synthetic antibiotic prohibited in food products. Testing conducted by multiple internationally accredited independent laboratories confirmed the products meet strict food safety standards, though the limited-time promotional shrimp burger series has now ended.
Key Points
- Hong Kong McDonald's voluntarily pulled its entire shrimp burger line, including the Ebi Burger, Double Ebi Burger, and Ebi Burger with Pineapple, from local menus .
- Taiwan halted sales after imported shrimp patties were found to contain 0.7 parts per billion of nitrofurans, a synthetic antibiotic banned in food products .
- Multiple internationally accredited independent laboratories conducted testing and found no detectable levels of nitrofurans or their metabolites in Hong Kong products .
- McDonald's has partnered with global inspection and certification firm SGS to conduct independent monthly tests on at least 20 selected ingredients .
- Over the past decade, more than 2,880 ingredient tests have been completed with all satisfactory results, supported by dual quality checks .
Why It Matters
The confirmation of food safety for McDonald's shrimp products demonstrates the effectiveness of Hong Kong's food safety monitoring systems and the proactive measures retailers will take to protect consumers. The incident highlights how cross-border food supply chain issues can rapidly affect multiple markets, making independent verification essential for maintaining public trust in food safety standards .
The confirmation of food safety for McDonald's shrimp products demonstrates the effectiveness of Hong Kong's food safety monitoring systems and the proactive measures retailers will take to protect consumers. The incident highlights how cross-border food supply chain issues can rapidly affect multiple markets, making independent verification essential for maintaining public trust in food safety standards .