KUALA LUMPUR: School canteens must adhere to guidelines set by the Health Ministry which mandate that only nutritious food be sold on school premises, says Malaysian School Canteen Operators Association.
Its secretary, Jazmi Hassan, said canteen operators must ensure that the meals provided meet the required nutritional standards and do not contain processed ingredients or excessive sugar.
"For example, canteens are required to provide fruits as well as other meals that adhere to the permitted calorie intake. All these requirements are outlined in the Health Ministry guidelines that school canteen operators must follow," he told Bernama on Wednesday (Feb 26).
Jazmi said canteen operators are also prohibited from selling processed foods such as sausages, nuggets, light snacks, and food and drinks with high sugar content.
For primary schools implementing the Supplementary Food Plan, canteens must display posters on food calorie content to raise students' awareness of healthy eating.
He added that each school has appointed a “canteen teacher” responsible for monitoring the daily menu sold, while the District Education Office also conducts periodic inspections twice a year.
"Local authorities also carry out spot checks to ensure that canteen hygiene standards are consistently maintained," he said.
He further stated that while schools are not directly involved in determining the menu, they can provide suggestions as long as the menu remains appropriate and complies with the established guidelines.
Regarding food prices in school canteens, Jazmi said operators must adhere to the agreed price rates outlined in the quotation submitted to the school when signing the service contract.
However, he hopes the government will review the rising cost of raw materials to ensure that canteen operators can continue providing healthy food at affordable prices.
"The main challenge in offering healthy food is the fluctuating cost of raw materials. Perhaps the government could consider subsidies to help canteen operators cope with this financial burden," he said, adding that school canteen food remains cheaper than food outside.
To ensure food safety standards are met, Jazmi stressed that all canteen operators must attend a food handling course and receive a typhoid vaccination before they are allowed to operate.
"The association takes food safety in school canteens very seriously. If any cases of food poisoning occur, appropriate action will be taken against operators who fail to comply with regulations," he added. – Bernama
