SHYA expresses deep sorrow at passing of the Most Venerable Jing Yin
The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, today (December 22) expressed deep sorrow at the passing of the Most Venerable Jing Yin, Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Eighth Abbot of Po Lin Monastery.
Miss Alice Mak, Photo by Bastille Post
Miss Mak said, "The Most Venerable Jing Yin dedicated his life to promoting Buddhism and benefitting the Buddhist community.He also took an active part in education and social matters, rendering immense meritorious service. The Most Venerable Jing Yin was always concerned about the matters of Islands District. Since 2020, he had served as a member of the Lamma Area Committee, offering advice on the district's development and environmental improvements. He made significant contributions, particularly in the conservation and promotion of traditional culture, with fruitful results. The Buddhist community and members of the public are grateful for his contributions. We will always remember him."
The Most Venerable Jing Yin, Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Eighth Abbot of Po Lin Monastery, Photo source: the Po Lin Monastery
CFS finds trace amount of Enterococci in samples of individual batches of bottled mineral water
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 28) that two samples of bottled mineral water were found to contain trace amount of Enterococci. The CFS is following up on the incident.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "Under its routine Food Surveillance Programme, the CFS collected bottled mineral water samples at retail level for microbiological testing, including tests for Escherichia coli, Coliform bacteria, Enterococci, Spore-forming sulphite-reducing anaerobes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The test results showed that two samples of the individual batches of bottled mineral water below contained Enterococci at a level of one Colony Forming Unit in 250 millilitres, while all other tested parameters (Escherichia coli, coliform bacteria, Spore-forming sulphite-reducing anaerobes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were satisfactory (i.e. not detected).
According to the Microbiological Guidelines for Food, Enterococci shall not be tested presence in bottled natural mineral water. As a precautionary measure, the CFS has informed the retailers/distributors concerned to stop sales and remove from shelves the affected batches of the products below. The distributors concerned have also initiated voluntary recalls of the affected batches of the products concerned. Members of the public may call the respective hotlines below during office hours for enquiries about the recalls.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Still Scottish Mountain Water
Brand: Marks & Spencer
Volume: 750ml
Best-before date: December 2026
Distributor: ALF Retail Hong Kong Limited
Hotline: 3656 2253
Product name: LOTTE ICIS Natural Mineral Water 8.0
Brand: Lotte
Volume: 2 litres
Best-before date: September 22, 2027
Distributor: Goldtop Century Ltd
Hotline: 2632 7373
Since January 2026, the CFS has collected 50 samples of bottled drinking water for testing. Apart from the two unsatisfactory samples mentioned above, all other samples passed the tests.
"Enterococci are a group of bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and animals, generally posing a low risk to healthy individuals. However, certain strains may cause infections in immunocompromised individuals. Members of the public should stop consuming the affected batches of the natural mineral water. Anyone who feels unwell after consuming the products, such as experiencing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or fever etc, should seek medical treatment," a spokesman for the CFS said.
The CFS had alert the trade, and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.
Source: AI-found images
