January 31, 2008

Banned substance found in food at Malaysia Ipoh's hypermarket
 

Traces of sulphur dioxide, a banned preservative only allowed in manufactured food, have been found in fresh meat and seafood sold at a hypermarket in Ipoh.

Noodles, meat, fish balls and prawns were among the food products that were tested for banned preservatives, including boric acid.
 

State Health Department officers had the prawns sealed and placed in a cold room while waiting for comprehensive test results.

The department's food quality and safety unit deputy director, Leong Siew Hong, said while the trace amount could be purely incidental, but they did not want to take any chances so the item was sealed.

He also said the hypermarket would only be allowed to sell the prawns if tests results are negative, and that the laboratory tests would take at least three days.

The findings have come from a statewide food screening operation, which was officially launched on Monday (January 28, 2008), to ensure the safety and quality of food items sold for Chinese New Year.
 

Teams comprising of 25 personnel from relevant departments took part in the joint operation. Previous operations had seen 3,552 types of food items, worth RM 112,664 (US$34,818), confiscated.

Surprise checks would be conducted on supermarkets and restaurants until February 16.
 
State Health, Science, Technology and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Tan Chin Meng, who launched the operation, had said action would be taken against the supplier if the tests are positive. Under the Food Regulations 1985, offenders can be fined up to RM 5,000 (US$1,545) or jailed up to five years if found guilty.

The operation is slated to end on February 21.