The Hong Kong Consumer Foundation found bacterial counts that exceeded standardization limits on some kitchen tissue brands, Monday (15/4/2019).
The head of the research department and the testing committee, Professor Nora Tam Fung-Yee, explained that the number of bacteria in the 5 brands exceeded the Chinese standard. That is 200 colony-forming units per gram (cfu/g), with numbers ranging from 240 to 1,000 cfu/g.
The five brands include; First Choice Premium Multi-Purpose KitchenTowel with bacteria count up to 1,000 cfu/g. Followed by Select Kitchen Towel, Naxos Kitchen Towel, Bestbuy Kitchen Towel, and Freesia Kitchen Towel.
“Tissue paper is not an everyday product that is produced through an aseptic process, the level of cleanliness should be a concern for consumers,” Tam said as reported by the South China Morning Post.
“The number of bacteria that are too high can be harmful to health, because these bacteria can cause bacterial contamination of food. Those who have a low immune system should be more vigilant.” Tam added
With this finding, observers from the Hong Kong Consumer Foundation urge residents to be more careful in choosing and using kitchen towels, considering that this item is one of the important necessities in households in Hong Kong.
The Foundation also recommends that consumers choose products that have received certification from the Food Safety Agency. In addition, they also advised not to reuse the paper that has been used and throw it away.
This is to prevent the spread of bacteria. New kitchen tissue paper should be stored in a clean and dry place, while opened products should be kept away from sinks and kitchen counters where raw food is prepared.
For now, the Foundation has reported this discovery to the Customs Department for further action.
