Hong Kong courts have fined McDonald’s HKD4,000 (US$513) after the fastfood giant pleaded guilty to selling ice cream that contained 630 times more bacteria than the level permitted by Hong Kong law.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


According to a report in Agence France Presse, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department revealed that samples of ice cream taken from a McDonald’s outlet in the city’s Kowloon district contained 63,000 coliform organisms per gram, a result much higher than the permitted 100 organisms per gram.


McDonald’s had originally denied the charge, but changed its plea in court on Monday (27 March).

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact