HK CFS's advice on contaminated U.S. potato products

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) of Hong Kong said Tuesday that a certain batch of "Midwest Pride" potato salad suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

According to U.S. authorities, the affected prepackaged product containers carried lot number 7057018A, with an expiry date of April 2, 2007.

The CFS appealed to retailers to stop selling that batch of products and that consumers are also advised not to eat them.

Symptoms after exposure to Listeria monocytogenes may include fever, headache, vomiting and diarrhea. The effect on pregnant women, newborns, the elderly and people with lowered immunity, however, could be severe, which may include miscarriage and meningitis. But healthy individuals rarely develop symptoms.

"We have contacted the U.S. authorities for more information and are closely monitoring the situation," a CFS spokesman said.

Source: Xinhua