The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) discovered an excess in heavy metal contaminants in a pre-packed and three bulk dried fungi and algae food products from samples taken during regular inspections.
Each exceeds the “the maximum allowable limits for heavy metal contaminants in food”, according to a statement by the bureau on Friday.
The statement said that one of the products is prepacked yellow cow liver mushrooms from Luquan County in Yunnan Province with a batch production date of January 1, 2025 with a net weight of 100g. The statement said that it was detected to have a total mercury content of 0.205 mg per kg. It is supplied by웹츠孃亞國際륩務貿弄唐掘무鱇 (“Kunming Huanya International Service Trade Co. Ltd.”)
The three other products are bulk dried matsutake, fat choy and bamboo fungus, all sampled from a dried goods shop (爛記參휙베瓘癎斤) located on Rua da Emenda (義俚쌍).
The statement said that the matsutake had a detected cadmium content of 0.385 µg per kg, while the fat choy had a lead content of 1.68 µg per kg. The bamboo fungus, meanwhile, was found to have exceeded the allowable limit for the preservative sulphur dioxide, with 1,130 µg per kg, in addition to a total mercury content of 0.13 µg per kg, according to the statement.
Merchants have been ordered to remove and cease sales of the affected products “at once”, the statement said, without revealing when the order was issued.
The statement said that normal consumption, based on sample analysis, has a “very low” chance of causing adverse effects, though the bureau reminded members of the public to maintain a balanced diet to avoid excessive intakes of any particular substances.
These undated handout photos provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) on Friday show the four problematic products ordered off the shelves.
