Noodles from laksa kebok stall contaminated with salmonella bacteria, says Health Ministry

PETALING JAYA: Salmonella bacteria was found in the noodle sample taken from a laksa kebok stall in Baling, Kedah, that resulted in a food poisoning outbreak that killed two people, according to the Health Ministry.

“According to the investigation outcome and lab results obtained, the causative agent of the food poisoning was Salmonella enterica serovar Weltevreden. 

"The bacteria was found in the patient’s clinical sample and the noodle sample of the stall,” the ministry said in a statement on Sunday (Oct 21).

Using the Pulse Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) test, it is learnt that the bacteria was from one source, which is the laksa noodles bought on Oct 4, from the stall. 

The ministry said the laksa noodles sold on Oct 4 was produced in the processing premise, which was operated by the stall owner. 

The Healthy Ministry said there were no news cases reported since Oct 9, and the overall number of cases stood at 83, with two deaths. 

There were 34 cases in Perak (where two patients died), 25 cases in Kedah and 24 cases in Selangor. The patients who were hospitalised were all discharged. 

Meanwhile, the ministry said the food poisoning was possibly due to unhygienic preparation process and the storage of the noodles, as well as the temperature during the preparation of the noodles or during the reheating of the noodles, which was not high enough to disinfect.

The ministry said the Baling district health department has informed the laksa stall owner about the test results on Sunday.