Ensuring that the food we eat is safe for consumption

Unhygienic food production or storage (spot the fly!) can lead to food contamination, which may result in illness when the food is consumed. — Photos: Filepic

Safe and nutritious food is essential to life and good health.

Malaysians are well known for their love of food; it is no wonder that Malaysia is a gourmet’s paradise.

Food safety and food security are interlinked.

A safe food supply benefits the economy, tourism, trade and other aspects of human activity.

Climate change, the globalisation of food trade, rapid technological change and the growing global population all impact on food safety and food security.

The war in Ukraine has exemplified the various facets of food safety and security.

Significant cause of illness

Unhygienic food or drink handling, production or storage usually leads to food contamination and unsafe food that contain bacteria, viruses, parasites and/or chemicals, which can cause more than 200 diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 600 million people, i.e. about one in 10 persons get sick after consuming contaminated food annually, leading to about 420,000 deaths.

Unsafe food leads to a cycle of disease and malnutrition, with the effects more impactful on infants, young children, elderly and the sick.

According to the Health Ministry’s (MOH) 2021 annual report, there were no significant changes in the incidence rates and number of episodes of food poisoning between 2011 to 2019.

But there was a significant decrease in both between 2019 to 2021, with the Covid-19 pandemic being one of the contributing factors as schools were closed for some time during the movement control order.

In 2021, out of 202 reported episodes of food poisoning, 53 (26.2%) occurred at homes, 48 (23.8%) in institutions besides schools, 32 (15.8%) in Education Ministry (MOE) schools and 17 (8.4%) in non-MOE schools, as well as 52 (25.7%) in other localities.

Have you ever considered the question: When you eat, how do you know your food is safe? — AFP

Authorities in charge

The Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations 1985 were implemented “to protect the public against health hazards and fraud in the preparation, sale and use of food”.

The Act applies to all food products sold in Malaysia, whether locally produced or imported.

The definition of food in the Act is wide as it “includes every article manufactured, sold or represented for use as food or drink for human consumption, or which enters into or is used in the composition, preparation, preservation of any food or drink, and includes confectionery, chewing substances and any ingredient of such food, drink, confectionery or chewing substances”.

The Regulations prescribe what can or cannot be added to foods, and in what amounts.

Additives, processing aids, vitamins, minerals, novel food substances and nutritive substances cannot be added to foods unless expressly permitted, and where permitted, such substances may only be used in accordance with the limits expressly stated in the Regulations.

The Food Act and its regulations are enforced by the MOH, other governmental departments and local authorities.

Certificates for food exports are issued by the MoH or Fisheries Department (for live fish), and certificates for food imports are issued by the MOH, Veterinary and Fisheries departments.

The National Food Safety and Nutrition Council (NFSNC), which was established by the government in 2001, is the highest advisory body to the government on all matters related to food safety and nutrition.

It is chaired by the Health Minister and its membership comprises governmental agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

According to the MOH, the NFSNC “has been working in close collaboration with various stakeholders in the country’s effort to ensure the people receive safe, wholesome and nutritious food”.

However, according to the 2021 MOH annual report, the NFSNC held its 15th meeting on April 27, 2021 – two decades after its establishment.

This begets the question of how effective the NFSNC is, when its meetings are infrequent.

Level of enforcement

Concerns about the safety of Malaysian-produced food were raised following media reports of a statement by the Taiwanese Health Department on April 24 that it had found that a batch of instant noodles from Malaysia – and another from Indonesia – contained ethylene oxide.

Ethylene oxide is a chemical associated with lymphoma and leukaemia, both of which are cancers.

The Department instructed the retailers to cease sales of the products and the importers were fined between T$60,000 (RM8,989) and T$200mil (RM29.96mil).

It does not enhance Malaysia’s image when its exported food are reported to have been found contaminated by a foreign regulator.

The question was how could this have slipped the Malaysian regulators.

ALSO READ: Health Ministry orders recall of two types of instant noodles

The MOH 2021 annual report provides a glimpse of the reality on the ground in that “a total of 45,361 food premises were inspected, with 697 (1.5%) of premises instructed to temporarily close under Section 11, Food Act 1983, due to hygiene issues” and “a total of 20,993 food samples were taken, of which 950 samples (4.5%) contravened the Food Act and Food Regulations” – numbers that are paltry when one considers the number of food premises in the country.

The Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations 1985 strictly regulate what can and cannot be added to food and drink products.

Upholding food standards

The fifth World Food Safety Day was commemorated on June 7 (2023) “to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agricultural production, market access, tourism and sustainable development”.

The theme for 2023 is “Food standards save lives”.

Under the theme, the WHO asks everyone to consider: “When you eat, how do you know your food is safe?”

It notes that: “Food standards are a way of ensuring safety and quality”, and that most governments and organisations do adopt and enforce food standards that are developed by themselves, or regional or international standard-setting bodies.

One such international body is the Codex Alimentarius Commission, or Codex for short, which “operates with a mandate to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the food trade”.

Used by governments and the food industry, Codex standards guide national food safety legislation and ensure best practices, which are underpinned by scientific advice from global expert groups led by WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The question for most, if not all Malaysians, is: how do we know that our food is safe?

Dr Milton Lum is a past president of the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations and the Malaysian Medical Association. For more information, email [e-mail]. The views expressed do not represent that of organisations that the writer is associated with. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.