Two food samples on sale in Hong Kong were found to contain melamine over the legal maximum limit on Friday, namely, a vegetable formula cereal produced by Heinz and a steamed potato Wasabi produced by Silang.

The Center for Food Safety said the Heinz DHA+AA Vegetable Formula Cereal was found to contain 1.6ppm of melamine, compared with the legal limit of 1 ppm for children's food, while the Silang House of Steamed Potato Wasabi contained 18ppm of melamine, compared with the legal limit of 2.5ppm for any food for adults.

The samples were among 112 tested for the latest batch.

"We have already informed the trade of the test results and asked them to stop selling the products concerned. We have also sent warning letters to the retailers and importers concerned, and the importers will recall the affected products," the center said.

"The samples were collected after the commencement of the amendment regulation. The CFS will take out prosecution if there is sufficient evidence," it added.

The center said it had taken another batch of some 40 samples of baby food in the market for testing. Results for these samples will be announced within two days.

So far, the center has more or less completed testing of milk powder available in the local market, including infant formula, milk powder for growth, children, pregnant women and adults. A total of 147 samples were tested and all were satisfactory.

In addition, it has more or less finished testing for milk, milk products and frozen confections produced locally and in the mainland (total 420 samples). Ten samples were found unsatisfactory, with the unsatisfactory sample results already published.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2008)