HKers urged to stop consuming contaminated French raw milk cheese

The Centre for Food Safety urged Hongkongers to stop eating a batch of French raw milk cheese suspected to be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.

The cheese product involved is MORBIER LAIT CRU DE SCEY AOP 7KG MEULE, under the brand name PERRIN VERMOT, imported by Culina HK Limited.

A spokesman for the Center stated that they received notification from the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed and promptly contacted local importers for follow-up.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the importer had brought the affected batch of the product into Hong Kong.

“People will contract STEC-causing gastro-intestinal disease through consumption of contaminated water or undercooked and contaminated foods,” the center warned.

“Intestinal bleeding and serious complications such as hemolytic uraemic syndrome may also develop in some people.”

Cheng Wong