The Center for Food Safety of Hong Kong announced on Monday that it tested 4,600 food samples in January and found 51 to be unsatisfactory.

Apart from the four unsatisfactory samples of Lunar New Year food earlier, a pickled plum and a red date sample were found to contain preservative sulphur dioxide exceeding the legal limit, the center said in a statement.

Apart from the unsatisfactory samples of 20 fresh beef and one preserved Chinese sausage earlier, 15 fresh beef samples were found to contain sulphur dioxide. Two samples of smoked pork sausage and one sample of pork loin ham were found to contain the preservative sorbic acid.

A sample of chilled orange roughy fillet was found to contain mercury exceeding the legal limit. A sample of slipper lobster had cadmium exceeding the legal limit.

The center said most of the exceedances or breaches are not serious and will not pose immediate health risks. It has traced the sources of the food in question, stopped their sale and issued warning letters.

From this year, food-safety reports will be issued monthly instead of bimonthly so the public can obtain the latest food- safety information in a timely manner, said the center.

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2009)