BANDAR PERMAISURI: The Terengganu Health Department has seized "eyeball" gummy candies from retail and wholesale outlets in three districts as of Monday (Feb 24).
Terengganu Health director Datuk Dr Kasemani Embong said the seizures in Kuala Nerus, Marang and Kuala Terengganu, valued at RM1,300, were due to labelling violations.
"Enforcement teams from the Food Safety and Quality Unit conducted inspections at retail and wholesale outlets in the said districts and confiscated the products.
"The Health Department will also continue to monitor and enforce food safety measures and take preventive steps to avoid incidents like the death of a boy who choked on a gummy candy in Penang from recurring," she told reporters after launching the state-level Cancer Day event at the Sri Langkap community hall in Sungai Tong.
In her speech, Dr Kasemani said 565 new cancer cases were reported in the state last year, with 321 involving women and 244 men.
She said the top five cancers in Terengganu are colorectal cancer with 104 cases, followed by breast cancer (88), lung cancer (63), leukaemia (31) and thyroid cancer (29).
However, Dr Kasemani said breast cancer remains the highest among women with 87 cases, followed by 48 cases of colorectal cancer.
She added that an unhealthy lifestyle, such as an unbalanced diet, is identified as one of the contributing factors to the increase in colorectal cancer cases in the state. - Bernama
