Frozen yoghurt sample detected with coliform bacteria and total bacterial counts exceeding legal limits
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 15) that a sample of frozen yoghurt was found to contain coliform bacteria and total bacterial counts exceeding the legal limits. The CFS is following up on the incident.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a retail shop with a frozen confection factory licence in Kowloon City for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained 120 coliform bacteria per gram and 220 000 bacteria per gram, both exceeding the legal limits.
"The CFS conducted an investigation of the premises immediately, took food samples for laboratory testing, and informed the food premises concerned of the irregularity. The investigation revealed that the frozen yoghurt was produced in the premises concerned. The premises has already stopped selling the frozen yoghurt, and discarded the affected product according to the CFS's advice. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the premsises, and requested the staff to carry out a thorough cleaning and disinfection," the spokesman said.
Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap. 132AC), frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 100 coliform bacteria per gram or more than 50 000 bacteria per gram. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that the coliform count and the total bacterial count exceeded the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.
The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. An investigation is ongoing.
Source: AI-found images
FSD and BD conduct joint inspection and enforcement operation against industrial buildings
In response to earlier media reports on fire safety issues in certain industrial buildings, the Fire Services Department (FSD) and the Buildings Department (BD) are highly concerned about the situation and conducted a joint inspection and enforcement operation targeting industrial buildings from December 29 to 31, 2025, with a view to ensuring public safety.
An industrial building in Kwun Tong, Photo by Bastille Post
The FSD and the BD inspected a total of nine industrial buildings located in various districts in Kowloon and the New Territories during the joint operation. The fire personnel identified a total of 261 irregularities related to various fire hazards, such as obstruction or locking of means of escape, defective or wedged-open smoke stop doors, as well as fire service installations or equipment (FSIs) that were defective or not in efficient working order. The FSD took immediate enforcement action against the persons concerned.
An industrial building in Kwun Tong, Photo by Bastille Post
Among the cases related to obstruction of means of escape, the FSD instituted three prosecutions and issued 22 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices (FHANs), requiring the persons concerned to abate the fire hazards within a specified period. Should they fail to comply with the requirements of the FHANs within the period, the FSD will institute resolute prosecution. In addition, inspections revealed that some buildings had defective smoke stop doors and FSIs. The FSD will issue FHANs to the persons concerned and continue to take follow-up action.
The Buildings Department (BD), Photo source: reference image
The BD identified 13 subdivided flats suspected of being used illegally for domestic purposes. Further investigations are now under way, and letters have been sent to the relevant owners and occupiers asking them to contact the BD as soon as possible to arrange an inspection of their flats. Otherwise, the BD will consider applying for a court warrant to enter the premises for inspection. If it is confirmed that the flats in question have been used for illegal domestic purposes, the BD will take enforcement action in accordance with the Buildings Ordinance, including ordering the cessation of illegal domestic use and rectify the dangerous situations. The BD also identified in the operation that there was dilapidation in the exit staircases of one of the industrial buildings, but no obvious danger to the overall building structure was noted. The BD has issued a repair order to the owners' corporation for conducting the necessary repair work.
The Fire Services Department (FSD), Photo source: reference image
Apart from inspection and enforcement, the FSD also carried out fire prevention education and publicity at the same time during the operation to enhance fire safety awareness among owners and occupiers of industrial buildings, thereby mitigating fire risk from the source. The BD has also long been promoting building safety and the proper use of buildings through various channels, including distributing themed posters to management offices of industrial buildings for displaying in prominent places to serve as a reminder to owners and occupiers that industrial buildings must not be used illegally for domestic purposes.
