The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced on August 5, 2026, that a fresh beef sample taken from a market stall in Tai Kiu Market, Yuen Long, under its routine Food Surveillance Programme contained sulphur dioxide at 785 parts per million. The CFS said it was following up with the stall concerned about the irregularity, and that the investigation was ongoing.

Under the Preservatives in Food Regulation, adding sulphur dioxide to fresh or chilled meat is an offence carrying a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine and six months' imprisonment. Sulphur dioxide is permitted in foods such as dried vegetables, dried fruits, pickled vegetables and salted fish products, and the CFS said some traders have illegally used it to make meat look fresher.

The CFS said most sulphur dioxide can be removed by washing and cooking, but susceptible individuals allergic to the preservative may experience breathing difficulties, headaches and nausea. It advised the trade not to sell adulterated fresh or chilled meat, and the public to buy from reliable stalls or fresh provision shops and avoid meat that is unnaturally red.