Century-old fermented bean curd brand Liu Ma Kee closes after food safety concern

Liu Ma Kee, the renowned family-run fermented bean curd brand with over a century of history, has closed its doors after being embroiled in a food safety controversy. 

The Liu Ma Kee store in Jordan has ceased operation, with closure notices posted on its shut door.

On July 4, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) revealed that a sample of Liu Ma Kee's bottled preserved bean curd product from a Sai Ying Pun retail outlet contained excessive Bacillus cereus at a level of 130,000 per gram, exceeding the standard by 30 percent.

CFS further announced on Tuesday (Jul 16) that the amount of Bacillus cereus in a sample from a retail point in Yau Ma Tei has exceeded the standard by 12 times, at a level of 1.3 million per gram.

Jay Liu Fong-yip, the fourth-generation owner of the brand, said elder family members decided to close the store after the food scandal.

He stated that the food safety saga has caused significant stress for his family, leading them to lay off staff and ultimately shut down the business. 

"We don't agree with the testing methods and procedures of the CFS," he said.

Another family member, Mrs Liu, has questioned CFS's validity and requested the withdrawal of the report on TV. She also expressed her disappointment on the numerous returns of goods after the news had broken.

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