Issue | Aug 2011

Food Safety and Technology Research Centre

ood scares happened one after

another. Milk tainted with

Melamine, Taiwanese drinks

containing cancer-causing additive

Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (commonly

abbreviated as DEHP) and bean

sprouts causing deadly E coli outbreak

were the latest scandals that have

hung over us. While the prevalence of

unsafe foods is shaking our

confidence, a pioneering "Food

Safety and Technology Research

Centre" has been launched recently

at PolyU to forge a stronger defence

for the food we put on our plates.

Established by Department of Applied

Biology and Chemical Technology

(ABCT), the Centre is the first of its kind

that is run by a higher education

institution, bringing together top-notch

experts in the field of biochemistry,

biophysics microbiology, toxicology

and nutrition, who have enjoyed track

records in food science research and

innovations.

At the frontline against unsafe foods,

scientists at the Centre are dedicated

to develop quicker, higher volume

and more accurate methods of food

testing. Research work on rapid and

high-throughput technology for

detection of harmful substances such

as toxins, contaminants, antibiotics

and food borne pathogens has shown

preliminary success. In fact, a new

portable DNA biosensor has just

received a Gold medal in the 39th

International Exhibition of Inventions of

Geneva in April this year. This

international accolade is important in

boosting testing capacity in

conventional laboratory and raising

inspection standards on all food down

our stomach.

PolyU takes steps to enhance food safety and technology

F

Food Safety and Technology Research Centre

The recent discovery of cancer-causing additive Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, commonly abbreviated

as DEHP, scares people away from drinks from Taiwan. In Hong Kong, reports on food poisoning and

unsafe food for human consumption have also repeatedly made the news headlines in recent years.

This succession of food scares has shaken consumers' confidence in our food supply. Although intense

media attention has a part to play in causing overreaction among consumers, long-term

accumulation of toxic chemicals such as melamine and heavy metals such as lead in the body

together with prolonged exposure to trace amounts here and there do actually harm our health.

Therefore, a pioneering “Food Safety and Technology Research Centre” has been launched recently

at PolyU, offering advanced testing services and ground-breaking innovations for detection of

harmful substances which are unmatched by conventional laboratory.

Issue | Aug 2011

Tel: (852) 3400-2929 Fax: (852) 2333-2410 Email: pdadmin@inet.polyu.edu.hk Website: www.pdo.polyu.edu.hk

This brand new chemistry, biology and

microbiology laboratory space has a

few sophisticated instruments. One of

them is Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

(NMR) system and the other is

Chromatography and Spectrometer

Systems which permit highly

specialized testing for chemical

composition, contaminants, marine

toxins, trace elements, and heavy

metals at molecular level. These

devices offer greater speed,

accuracy, specificity and sensitivity

than conventional laboratory,

eliminating the need for relying on

overseas laboratory for advanced

tests.

An equally pressing issue is the need

for scientific bases in advancing

safety standards and regulations. To

complete the picture, the Centre has

strong focus on studying health risks

from hazards such as bacterial and

chemical contamination, and the

effect on Asian population, Chinese in

particular, that have unique diet and

lifestyle. This kind of important studies

will provide conclusive scientific

evidence that safety and public

health regulations, such as tolerable

daily intake levels, have to improve

upon.

PolyU's food scientists have a part to

play in food safety control while the

President, Prof Timothy W. Tong, is

rendering his full support in this area.

Prof Tong said, "PolyU is committed to

raising food safety standard through

education and research. Building on

our strengths in food science research

and education, we believe that the

Centre will serve as an international

platform for knowledge and

technology transfer, as well as for

collaborations and information

sharing on the constant challenge of

ensuring food safety."

Head of ABCT and Director of the

Food Safety and Technology

Research Centre Prof Wong Wing-tak

was also confident that the team

would gear up for the challenge. "By

bringing together expertise at various

areas, the new Centre will not only

help raise the standard of food safety

and the related testing and

certification, but also facilitate

inter-disciplinary collaborations in the

region. The Centre will be actively

engaged in food science research

and new technology development

and provide training and consultancy

service for the industry. In the long run,

we hope we could bolster public

confidence on the safety of food

supplies."

The Centre also provides

cutting-edge expertise and

technology in support of food

industry. For example, advanced

sensory evaluation facilities are in

place to allow new food products to

be taste-tested under strict conditions,

which is an essential process in

boosting flavour, quality and

attractiveness in food product

development. Expertise in advanced

food processing is available to help

local food business set up rigorous

procedures to catch up with global

safety standards. Another mission of

the Centre is the development of

functional food that provides health

benefits beyond the nutrients they

contain. They are working at unique

formula that make healthy food, such

as mushrooms, tea and soybeans,

that have the potential to fight

chronic diseases, promote health,

and reduce health care costs.

Working hand in hand with the

community, PolyU's food scientists will

continue to strive in improving quality

and safety of our food.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance system

Inauguration of the Research Centre on 9 August 2011

Chromatography System

Issue | Aug 2011

問題食品一宗接一宗，繼含有三聚氰胺

的有毒奶品後，近期又發現可致癌的塑

化劑飲料，連豆芽都被驗出含有能致命

的大腸桿菌⋯⋯這不禁使我們對食物安

全的信心面臨另一新低點！不過，理大

新成立的食物安全及科技研究中心，卻

能令我們放心把食物再放進肚子裡。

由理大應用生物及化學科技學系建立的

食物安全及科技研究中心，是香港首間

由專上學府營運的食物檢測中心，雲集

生物化學、生物物理學、微生物學、毒

理學及營養學的頂尖專家，中心在食品

檢測的創新科技及研究等多方面，均擁

有豐富及實用的經驗。

既要為人們堅守著健康的前線，科學家

們不斷研究和開發最快、最準確，以及

更有效的方法，來找出有問題的食品以

及食品的問題。其中，研究員針對食品

中的毒素、污染物、抗生素及食源性致

病菌等研發的快速及高效的檢測技術，

目前已得到了初步的成功，最近，由中

心發明的一部便攜式基因(DNA)即時感測

器，更於今年四月在日內瓦舉行的第39

屆國際發明展中榮獲金獎。理大食物

安全及科技研究中心的工作實在非常

重要，因為他們的工作量可遠比傳統化

驗室的高，而檢測範圍可以擴展至所有

食品種類，為我們的口腹全面把關。

該中心設備齊全，其化學、生物及微生

物實驗室都配置了最先進的儀器，包括

了核磁共振系統(NMR)，以及先進的氣相

色譜分析系統等，可以準確偵測食品的

化學成份、污染物、海洋毒素、微量

元素，並能檢測可達分子水平的重金

屬等。與傳統的化驗室相比，這所中心

能提供更快捷、更準確而且仔細的檢測

報告，甚至以往需靠外國先進的檢測中

心協助處理的複雜測試，現在都可在中

心裡進行。

以科技來推動安全標準及法規向前邁

進，同樣顯得逼切，要兩者兼顧，理大

食物安全及科技研究中心

理大食物安全及科技研究中心啟動「為食新勢力」

台灣飲料被發現含有致癌的塑化劑，不但令人們對台灣飲料起了戒心，更因連串有關食物安全的問題令消

費者對食物供應的信心大大動搖。雖然食物供應總體來說仍是安全及可靠的，不過，經過媒體大肆的

報導，仍少不免引起人們一些過敏的反應，尤其是一些有毒的化學物質如三聚氰胺，或是鉛等重金屬，哪

怕是微量，長期在體內積聚已足以危害健康。香港理工大學(理大)新成立的食物安全及科技研究中心，現

正提供了嶄新的檢測服務，為食物安全好好把關。

Issue | Aug 2011

Tel: (852) 3400-2929 Fax: (852) 2333-2410 Email: pdadmin@inet.polyu.edu.hk Website: www.pdo.polyu.edu.hk

的食物安全及科技研究中心把此定為其

中重點研究目標，希望能夠減少對健康

有所威脅的有害物質如細菌、化學污染，

以及從亞洲及中國人獨有的飲食習慣及

生活方式分析其影響。他們所得的研究

結果，將會是重要的科學數據，用於提

高食物安全標準，甚至是修訂公共衛生

的條例，例如需要釐定食物中某種成分

於每日最高攝取量的標準訂定，亦可以

參考中心的最新測試報告了。

科學家在捍衛食物安全的工作上能有很

大的貢獻，理大校長唐偉章教授對此更

是大力支持。唐教授說：「從教育到研

究，理大一直不遺餘力地提升食物安全

的標準，透過我們在食物科學的研究及

教育，我們深信，食物安全及科技研究

中心能夠成為一個國際級的平台，促進

知識及技術轉移至社會的同時，也透過

協作及信息交流，結集各方力量來應付

各種挑戰，確保食物安全。」

食物安全及科技研究中心總監黃永德教

授深信中心各同寅已作好裝備，隨時面

對未來的挑戰。他說：「我們匯集了多

方專家的力量，新設立的中心不單能夠

提升食物安全及相關的檢測與認證工作

的水平，且會促進區內跨學系的交流和

合作。研究中心還會積極進行食品科學

研究及創新技術的研發，更會為相關行

業提供培訓及顧問服務。長遠來說，

我們希望能夠加強公眾對食品安全的

信心。」

研究中心能為食品業提供技術及專業知

識的支援，例如，新食品的味道須經過

多重的測試，而中心設有先進的味道

分析設備，正好幫助業界在研發過程

中提升產品的味道和質素，令它更有

「味力」！本地的食品企業也可以尋求

中心的專家的顧問服務，授以先進的食

品製造程序，協助業界建立嚴謹的製造

程序來趕上國際的安全標準。研究中心

另一目標是功能食品的開發，用以提升

食品本身營養價值以外的健康功能。目

前，中心的研究員正以獨特的方程式來

製造健康食物，其中包括冬菇、茶及豆類

等，研究指出它們都有對抗慢性疾病、強

身健體，從而減低醫療開支的優點。

有了中心的專家和社會各界攜手努力，

食物的質素及安全就能得到提升和保

證，我們也就吃得放心了。

磁力共振系統

中心剛於今年8月9日正式成立

氣相色譜分析系統