HONG KONG – June 2, 2025 — The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has issued an urgent consumer warning after a sample of durian-flavoured ice cream was found to contain coliform bacteria levels exceeding regulatory limits. The product in question is Durian Gelato by the brand Alchemia, manufactured locally by Pay & Pay Ice Cream International Company Limited and distributed by Kai’s Gourmet Limited.
The contaminated sample, collected during routine surveillance from a food stall at an expo on Lantau Island, revealed 110 coliform bacteria per gram—well above the legal maximum of 100 per gram set under Hong Kong’s Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap 132 AC).
While coliform bacteria generally indicate unsatisfactory hygiene rather than an immediate risk of illness, the CFS has taken swift action. “The distributor has been instructed to stop the sale and distribution of the affected batch immediately,” a CFS spokesperson said. “We’ve also launched an investigation into the manufacturing facility and provided hygiene training to staff.”
Product Details:
Product Name: Durian Gelato
Brand: Alchemia
Place of Origin: Hong Kong
Net Volume: 70 ml
Best-before Date: 13 April 2026
As a precaution, consumers are urged not to consume the affected ice cream. Those experiencing adverse symptoms after consumption should seek medical attention. The distributor has initiated a product recall, and customers may contact their hotline at 3483 0098 for assistance.
Retailers and members of the trade have been instructed to suspend the sale and use of the product immediately. The CFS emphasized that legal action will be considered if substantial violations are uncovered.
This incident underscores the importance of food hygiene compliance, especially within the competitive ice cream franchise landscape in Hong Kong, where trust and safety remain critical to sustaining consumer confidence in the latest ice cream offerings.
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