KOTA BARU: The Kelantan Health Department will take random food samples at all Ramadan bazaars in the state starting Thursday (Feb 26), said its director Datuk Dr Mohd Azman Yacob.
The inspections would focus on premises selling risky foods and drinks containing coconut milk.
"Sometimes the food looks good, but there may be germs that can cause food poisoning.
"Results (of tests on) the food samples taken are expected to be known in one or two weeks, before further action is taken against the traders concerned," he said.
Dr Mohd Azman said that to date, 386 stalls and 625 Ramadan bazaar food operators in Kelantan have been inspected.
"Of the total, 305 premises are clean, while 620 food operators were found to have received anti-typhoid injections.
"As a result of the inspection and monitoring operations, 15 compound notices under Section 32B of the Food Act 1983 were issued to operators who committed various offences under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009," he said.
He said that the department had not received any reports or complaints related to food poisoning at Ramadan bazaars.
"We have also actually carried out comprehensive monitoring throughout the state before Ramadan involving high-risk raw material supply centres such as 48 chicken processing factories, 30 coconut milk supplier premises and 27 ice processing factories," he added. – Bernama
