The Consumer Council recently conducted a test on the sodium levels of 6 categories of non-staple foods. 40 samples were randomly chosen and tested and the result has been published in the latest issue no.256 of Consumer Report. The current issue also includes a performance test of liquid laundry detergents. Free copies of the latest issue of Consumer Report are available at over 10 spots. Consumers can also visit our official website for details.
Consumer organizations recommend low sodium diet to consumers as consuming too much sodium will pose health hazards. The Council also concerns about the sodium levels in processed foods and a comparative test on the sodium levels of 40 samples were conducted. The samples included 6 categories of non-staple foods, namely canned foods such as soup, meat, fish and vegetables, packaged food for use in microwave ovens and instant noodles. Amount the tested samples, instant noodles contain the highest sodium level, followed by canned meat. In general, the 6 categories of non-staple foods being tested are high in sodium level and it is recommended that consumers should limit the intake of these foods. The report also suggested ways to restrict the amount of sodium in our diets. Details of the result can be found in the issue of Consumer Report no. 256. Liquid laundry detergents are commonly chosen by consumers and the Council randomly chose 10 liquid laundry detergent samples and conducted a comparative test on their stain removal performance and refractive index. The result showed that some samples failed to meet the stain removal performance standard. Consumers can refer to the latest issue of Consumer Report for details.
The Council has signed a Collaboration Agreement with Consumer Institute of Portugal in November 2014. The Agreement included cooperation on product testing and information exchange on food safety, etc.. With the technical support from the Institute, the Council's capacity on food and product testing can be enhanced. Furthermore, under the Agreement, the Council can get timely information on consumer issues from the Portuguese speaking countries. The Council attended a seminar held by the China Consumers' Association (CCA) and a national conference held by The Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection (DECO) in November. Consumers can refer to the Consumer Report for details regarding the seminar and the conference. Consumer Report is now available free of charge at the Consumer Council (Av. Horta e Costa, N.º 24-A, Edf. Cheung Heng, R/C), and the service counter of the Council at Macao SAR Government Service Centre (Rua Nova da Areia Preta, Nº52), Public Information Centre at Vicky Plaza, libraries and bookstores. Consumers may also access the magazine online on the Council's official website (http://www.consumer.gov.mo). For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
