Hong Kong – CFS urges public not to consume several kinds of ice cream from France with possible presence of ethylene oxide

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 10) urged the public not to consume several kinds of ice cream from France, because the products were found with a pesticide, ethylene oxide, which is not authorised by the European Union (EU). The trade should stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream Pint

Brand: Häagen-Dazs

Place of origin: France

Net volume: 473 millilitres

Best-before date: From July 3, 2022 to July 17, 2023

Importer: General Mills Hong Kong Limited

Product name: Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream Mini cup

Brand: Häagen-Dazs

Place of origin: France

Net volume: 100 millilitres

Best-before date: From July 3, 2022 to July 17, 2023

Importer: General Mills Hong Kong Limited

Product name: Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream Mini cup

Brand: Häagen-Dazs

Place of origin: France

Net volume: 75 millilitres

Best-before date: From July 3, 2022 to July 17, 2023

Importer: General Mills Hong Kong Limited

Product name: Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream Bulk 

Brand: Häagen-Dazs

Place of origin: France

Net volume: 9.46 litres

Best-before date: From July 3, 2022 to July 17, 2023

Importer: General Mills Hong Kong Limited

     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that the above-mentioned products were found with a pesticide, ethylene oxide, which is not authorised by the EU. According to the information provided by the RASFF, the affected products have been imported into Hong Kong. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers for follow-up. Preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batches of the products concerned.”

     Since ethylene oxide is not authorised by the EU, for the sake of prudence, the above-mentioned importer has stopped selling and removed from shelves the affected batches of the products upon the CFS’s instructions and has initiated a recall. Members of the public may call the relevant importer at 2280 4996 during office hours for enquiries about the recall. 

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

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