CFS Warns Against Contaminated Bulgarian Sunflower Seeds Due to Aflatoxin Risk

CFS urges public not to consume batch of imported sunflower seed product suspected to be contaminated with aflatoxin

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 28) urged the public not to consume a batch of sunflower seed product from Bulgaria due to possible contamination with aflatoxin. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Zonnebloempitten (Sunflower seeds)

Brand: Tovano

Place of origin: Bulgaria

Net weight: 700g

Best before date: November 30, 2025

Batch number: 346704-038

Importer: Chef's Garden Limited

Retailer: Feather & Bone

A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission (EU), the above-mentioned product is being recalled as it contained aflatoxin exceeding the EU's standard. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers for follow-up. A preliminary investigation found that the aforementioned importer had imported into Hong Kong about 2.8 kilograms in total of the affected batch of the product concerned, which has been distributed to the retailer mentioned above for sale. The aflatoxin level of the product also exceeded the local legal standard."

The importer concerned has stopped sale and discarded the unsold products of the affected batch and initiated a recall according to the CFS's instructions. Members of the public may call the importer's hotline at 2819 7500 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

The World Health Organization (WHO)'s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified naturally occurring aflatoxins as carcinogenic to humans, and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives advised that intake of aflatoxins should be reduced to levels as low as reasonably possible although no health-based guidance value has been set. Aflatoxins can lead to liver cancer after long-term ingestion, and the risk for hepatitis B carriers is relatively high.

The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.

Quotations invited for tenancies at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port

The Government Property Agency (GPA) is inviting two separate quotations for the government properties at (i) Shop No. 503 and (ii) Shop Nos. 519 and 527D, on the First Floor, Passenger Clearance Building, 33 Shun Fai Road, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port, Lantau, Hong Kong, each for a three-year tenancy subject to the provisions for renewal for a further term of two years.

Both premises should only be used for general retail and/or services purposes excluding storage, sale or display of:

(1) dutiable goods as defined under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), unless the premises have been issued with a warehouse licence under the ordinance;

(2) duty-paid goods as defined under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109); and

(3) goods, merchandise or commodities that are from time to time prohibited from import into Hong Kong under the laws of Hong Kong.

The decision of the landlord as to what constitutes goods, merchandise or commodities under (3) above shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Tenant. All references in the Forms of Tenancy Agreement to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109) shall include any regulations made thereunder and any amending legislation. Details are available in the respective quotation notices and Forms of Tenancy Agreement.

The quotation notices were uploaded today (June 13) to the GPA Property Portal: www.gpaproperty.gov.hk/en/index.html. Quotation documents are available for collection at the GPA, 9/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, during the period from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, except public holidays. The documents can also be downloaded from the GPA Property Portal.

Interested bidders who wish to conduct a site inspection of the premises should make a prior appointment with the GPA by calling 3842 6916 or 3842 6915 by June 19.

Bidders must submit their quotations by placing them in the GPA Quotation Box placed at the Ground Floor Lobby, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, before noon on July 4. Late quotations will not be accepted.