The authorities have ordered a recall of two mooncake products sold here because they contain ingredients that exceeded regulatory limits, namely a bacteria or toxins produced by fungi.
The products are:
• Joymom’s Musang King Snowskin Mooncake, with an expiry date of March 5, 2024
• Fragrance’s Single Yolk Lotus Paste Baked Mooncake, with an expiry date of Oct 20, 2023
Both products originate from Malaysia.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a media release yesterday that it had detected Staphylococcus aureus in Joymom’s mooncake.
As for the other product, there was a substantial amount of aflatoxins present.
Both of the bacteria and the aflatoxins were at levels beyond the maximum limits specified under the Singapore’s Food Regulations.
“As a precautionary measure, SFA has directed the respective importers, Taste Right Pte Ltd and Fragrance Foodstuff Pte Ltd, to recall the implicated products. The recall is ongoing,” the agency added.
The Staphylococcus aureus bacteria is normally found in the environment and is also found on a person’s skin or in the nose.
It is a common cause of food poisoning and may cause a sudden onset of symptoms in affected individuals, such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea.
“Foodborne pathogens like S aureus can be introduced during the production process when cross-contamination occurs, particularly when good hand hygiene is not practised,” SFA said.
Aflatoxins can occur in foods, as a result of fungal contamination. Examples of food that can be contaminated with aflatoxins include cereals, nuts and oilseeds as well as processed foods containing these ingredients.
They are known to be genotoxic (damaging to DNA or genes) and carcinogenic (cancer-causing), and exposure through food should be kept as low as possible.
SFA advised consumers who have bought the implicated products not to eat them.
If taken and consumers have concerns about their health, they should seek medical advice and contact sellers for enquiries.
More information on the safety of mooncakes can be found on SFA’s website. — TODAY
