Public Warned Against Consuming Contaminated Primeal Corn Flour Due to Toxic Alkaloids

CFS urges public not to consume a kind of imported corn flour due to detection of excessive tropane alkaloids atropine and scopolamine

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (October 24) urged the public not to consume a kind of imported corn flour, due to the detection of excessive tropane alkaloids atropine and scopolamine. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Primeal Corn Flour [PRIMEAL FARINE DE MAIS Maismeel]

Brand: Primeal

Place of origin: France

Net weight: 500 grams per pack

Lot number: 630907

Best-before date: February 18, 2025

Importer: ICOSMOBEAUTY LIMITED

A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the European Commission that the above-mentioned product is under recall, due to the detection of tropane alkaloids atropine and scopolamine at a level exceeding the relevant limit of France. Investigations by the CFS revealed that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batch of the product concerned."

For the sake of prudence, the above-mentioned importer has stopped selling and removed from shelves the affected batch of the product upon the CFS's instructions and has initiated a recall. Members of the public may call the importer concerned at 9214 4287 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

The spokesman said that consumption of products detected with tropane alkaloids atropine and scopolamine may cause short-term adverse effects, for example, dilated pupils, change of heart rate, dryness of the mouth, and flushed skin. Tropane alkaloids atropine and scopolamine will be excreted from the body and therefore there are no long term health effects.

The spokesman urged the public not to consume the affected batch of the product if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batch of the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.

Buildings Department follows up on incident of broken glass cladding at external wall of Citywalk

Upon notification by the Police at about 7.30pm last night (October 24) regarding the incident of broken glass cladding at the external wall of Citywalk, Tsuen Wan, staff of the Buildings Department (BD) was immediately deployed to carry out site inspection and found that a piece of glass cladding of about 3m by 2m at the external wall of the fifth floor of the building facing Wo Tik Street was broken. No obvious danger to the overall building structure was noted.

As instructed by the staff of the BD, the property management company (PMC) of the building has arranged a contractor to remove the remaining loosen pieces of glass last night and would arrange inspection to the other glass cladding and carry out necessary repair as soon as possible to ensure public safety. The BD will issue an investigation order to require the owner to appoint an authorised person to conduct investigation and submit an investigation report together with a remedial proposal. The BD would maintain contact with the PMC to monitor the progress of the investigation and repair works.

The affected pavement is temporarily fenced off. The BD will continue to follow up the matter to ensure public safety.

The BD has specific requirements on the quality and construction of glass cladding. For example, the testing of materials and procedures before installation should comply with the relevant statutory requirements.

The BD emphasised that it is the responsibility of owners to ensure the safety of their buildings. Timely repair and maintenance of private buildings is the basic responsibility of owners. They may also be liable to criminal prosecution and civil proceedings if the building dilapidation causes damage to property or injury to persons.