CFS urges public not to consume two kinds of French cheese suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 21) urged the public not to consume two kinds of cheese originated from France due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The trade should stop using or selling the affected products immediately if they possess any of them.
The product details are as follows:
Product name: Mon Ami Petit Camembert
Place of origin: France
Pack size: 125 grams
Lot numbers / use-by dates / importers:
(1) C4314092 / November 8, 2025 / JJ Global Sourcing Limited;
(2) C5073065 / March 13, 2026 / JJ Global Sourcing Limited; and
(3) C5084081 / March 24, 2026 / Classic Fine Foods (Hong Kong) Limited
Product name: Mon Ami Petit Brie
Place of origin: France
Pack size: 125 grams
Batch number / use-by date / importer:
(1) C5084093 / March 24, 2026 / Classic Fine Foods (Hong Kong) Limited
“The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission that the above-mentioned products are being recalled due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers to follow up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importers had imported into Hong Kong the affected batches of the products concerned,” a spokesman for the CFS said.
The importers concerned have stopped sales and removed from shelves the affected batches of the products and have initiated recalls according to the CFS’s instructions. Enquiries can be made to the respective importers’ hotlines during office hours. They are: JJ Global Sourcing Limited (Tel: 2190 2125) and Classic Fine Foods (Hong Kong) Limited (Tel: 3145 7819).
“Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicaemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns,” the spokesman added.
“In order to reduce the risk of listeriosis, susceptible populations such as pregnant women should consume freshly prepared hot food where possible, reheat chilled food until it is hot all the way through, and avoid high-risk foods, including ready-to-eat food such as cold cuts, cold smoked seafood, soft cheeses, salads, etc, or cook them thoroughly before consumption, even if they are presented as part of a dish.”
The spokesman advised members of the public to stop consuming the affected products and seek medical treatment if they feel unwell after consuming the products concerned.
The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.
Source: AI-found images
FS convenes meeting to enhance co-ordination of financial support for residents affected by Tai Po fire
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, this afternoon (November 28) convened a coordination meeting with financial regulators to enhance support for residents affected by the recent fire incident at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, attended the meeting, along with senior representatives from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Insurance Authority (IA), the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Schemes Authority, and the Securities and Futures Commission.
At the meeting, Mr Chan instructed the financial regulators to step up coordination and mobilise banks, insurance companies, MPF trustees and other financial institutions to provide timely and effective assistance to the affected residents. For examples:
proactively reaching out to affected residents to understand their needs and offer assistance;
streamlining procedures and expediting the processing of service and claims applications with discretion, wherever possible;
adopting a lenient approach in handling delayed payments of loans, contributions and insurance premiums by affected individuals;
giving priority and simplifying procedures in handling account matters related to the deceased;
establishing a cross-sectoral coordination mechanism among financial institutions to enhance information flow and speed up response efforts; and
extending service hours of bank branches in the district on Saturdays and Sundays to better serve local residents.
Mr Chan said, “The residents affected by the fire are going through an extremely difficult time. Financial institutions should adopt a compassionate and empathetic approach, respond flexibly to the actual circumstances and needs of each family, and proactively provide appropriate support.”
He stressed that addressing the immediate needs of the affected residents is the top priority. During the post-incident recovery and beyond, sustained support and care to the residents will be essential. He expressed hope that banks, insurers and other financial service providers would introduce ongoing support measures to help relieve any future financial pressure faced by the affected residents.
In line with the above directives, the HKMA and the Hong Kong Association of Banks will separately announce further measures today.
Separately, the IA has set up a dedicated task force to coordinate the insurance sector’s responses, including the handling of public enquiries and claims. Insurers are also offering various forms of assistance, including prioritising claims processing, expediting payouts (such as waiving the requirement to produce a death certificate for death benefit claims), offering premium holidays or extended payment deadlines, and providing interest relief on policy loans. Some insurers are also providing emergency cash assistance or making advance payments to cover temporary accommodation costs.
Source: AI-found images
Dining and Cooking