The Macau Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) announced in a statement last Friday that it has been informed that a certain brand of bottled spicy fermented bean curd with chili oil may be contaminated with Bacillus cereus*.
According to the statement, the bureau has immediately issued a food alert to the local food industry and dispatched personnel to conduct market inspections to prevent the affected batch from circulating. The bureau urged citizens to stop consuming the problematic products and advised industry members who stock the items to cease its supply and sale.
The product is Giant Tree Brand’s “Salted Bean Curd Cubes in Brine With Chili (With Sesame Oil)”, sourced from the Chinese mainland, with best-before-day on April 15, 2027.
According to the statement, Bacillus cereus is widely present in the natural environment. Improper handling or storage of food during production can increase the risk of its growth and toxin production. Generally, consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as vomiting and diarrhoea.
*Its Latin name describes the bacterium as a tiny, rod-shaped organism that has a waxy appearance. – DeepSeek
This undated handout photo provided by Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) last Friday shows the problematic bottled spicy fermented bean curd from the Chinese mainland probably containing the Bacillus cereus.
