MELAKA: Melaka health authorities have ordered 50 food outlets to close due to ‘extremely’ unsatisfactory hygiene last year.
The state health department director Dr Ruzita Mustaffa said the premises were among 6,047 food-related sectors inspected by her team from last Jan to Dec.
Of the figure, she noted that the closure notices were issued to 42 restaurants and eateries as well as four canteens at supermarkets and factories, respectively.
"The action was taken according to Section 11 of the Food Act 1983 after discovering the hygiene levels of the premises were very disappointing.
"For the record, we have ordered two food premises to be closed while 89 were inspected since the beginning of this year," she said after leading a Chinese New Year food safety inspection at a supermarket in Pandan Malim here on Thursday (Jan 23).
Dr Ruzita also unveiled 70 notices of compounds and 26 fines totalling RM16,450 where only RM5,025 has been paid up to date.
On the Thursday operation (Jan 23), she said her team detected the owner of the supermarket selling rotten, mouldy and blackened fruits.
"Upon inspections, we discovered that deteriorated fruits such as papaya, dragon fruit, apples and lemons were displayed on shelves, posing a health risk to consumers.
"Food packaging products that failed to display the manufacturer's address, as well as canned products that had expired were also detected," she said.
Dr Ruzita said as a result of the operation, a total of 101 items were seized, including 18 dented and rusty canned foods, 34 mouldy and spoiled foods, 39 labelling offences and 10 expired items totalling about RM700 were seized.
