By Zaki Salleh
Photo MBI
IPOH: A total of 748 food products valued at RM9,206.20 were seized by the Food Safety and Quality Unit of the Ipoh City Council (MBI) during an inspection.
The inspection involved nine food premises, including grocery stores and supermarkets around the city.
The violations were under the Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations 1985.
In a statement, MBI noted that the inspections were conducted through ‘Operasi Cahaya’ in conjunction with the Deepavali celebrations.
The objective of the operation is to raise awareness about the importance of cleanliness in food premises.
This aims to ensure the cleanliness and safety of food, as well as to monitor the safety of food products sold in the market.
“The focus of the inspection is on packaged food products without labels, such as the type of food, company name and address, expiration date, and nutritional information.
“Additionally, any canned food products that are damaged, dented, or rusted will be examined.
“Products that have exceeded their expiration date and those deemed unfit for consumption, including wilted and spoiled vegetables and fruits, are also checked,” the statement said.
This operation is conducted year-round, focusing on all festive celebrations in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, as of this month, 83 food premises have been inspected, resulting in the seizure of 3,848 food products valued at RM29,165.86.
The findings revealed that 337 packages of food products were damaged or dented.
Furthermore, 574 types of food products were found to have exceeded their expiration dates as stated on the packaging.
Additionally, 2,937 food products failed to comply with labeling standards according to the act and regulations, as well as MBI licensing requirements.
The total amount of fines issued was RM5,500 under the Food Establishment Licensing By-Laws (Ipoh City Council) 2017.
