The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) is urging residents and businesses to stop consuming and selling two brands of fermented bean curd products after routine sampling detected excessive levels of Bacillus cereus, a foodborne bacterium.
According to an IAM statement yesterday, testing revealed that both products contained levels of Bacillus cereus rated as “unsatisfactory” under Macau’s official Microbiological Guidelines for Ready-to-Eat Food.
The affected items comprise “Fermented Red Bean Curd” under the brand “Pearl River Bridge” (net weight 288 grams) sourced from the Chinese mainland, with a best-before date of November 17, 2027, and “Shang Biau Sichuan Soya Bean Curd with Sesame Oil” under the brand “Giant Star” (net weight 130 grams) sourced from Taiwan, with a best-before date of August 16, 2027.
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, the statement added.
The bureau urged consumers who purchased the affected batches through any channel - including online or proxy purchasing - to stop consuming them immediately. Businesses stocking the products should also immediately cease supplying and selling them, and contact the bureau’s Food Safety Department on 2833 8181. The bureau said that it would continue monitoring the situation to prevent the affected products from circulating in the market.
This undated handout photo provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) yesterday shows the problematic bottled fermented bean curd products, from the Chinese mainland and China’s Taiwan region respectively, found to contain excessive levels of Bacillus cereus.
