PETALING JAYA: Lapses in food safety practices during large-scale food preparation are a common trigger for food poisoning outbreaks, experts say.
Public health expert Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said when institutions have financial and operational constraints, there can be non-compliance with hygiene and safety protocols.
“This situation could be the primary reason for food poisoning, as institutions often lack standard operating procedures (SOP), proper training and enforcement, which is compounded by high-risk practices such as large-scale food preparation by limited staff and prolonged food storage,” he said.
Dr Zainal was commenting on a recent case involving 27 students and elderly residents at a tahfiz school in Sungai Buloh who were down with diarrhoea and vomiting after consuming food from an external source.
He added that unsafe handling and poor hygiene rather than the food itself can cause people to get food poisoning.
“Some food handlers cross-contaminate among utensils or handle cooked food with dirty utensils.
“There can be food handlers storing cooked food at room temperature for too long, allowing bacteria to multiply,” he said.
While most victims recover, Dr Zainal warned that food poisoning can lead to hospitalisation and serious complications.
“Salmonella is a leading cause of fatal foodborne illnesses in Malaysia.
“Risks include severe dehydration, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and complications from antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, though recent incidents have avoided ICU admissions.”
He stressed that solutions must come from both government and community levels.
“There can be targeted enforcement and training for institutions, mandatory certification for all food handlers and strict enforcement of the Food Act 1983 with closures for violations.
“At a community level, there can be implementation of a robust food safety SOP,” he said.
Universiti Putra Malaysia consultant clinical microbiologist Prof Dr Zamberi Sekawi also pointed out that food handlers are often the starting point of food poisoning.
“Food poisoning outbreaks occur when food is prepared in large quantities and safety lapses happen, from improper storage and inadequate cooking to contamination during handling,” he said, adding that the causes are often a combination of factors, rather than a single reason.
He added that hot weather can further accelerate bacterial growth if food is left at room temperature for too long.
Zamberi stressed that food safety must be strengthened at every level.
Universiti Malaya senior lecturer Dr Muhamad Afiq Aziz said food is often cooked early or brought in by outside caterers, and the main reason for rising cases is leaving cooked food at room temperature for too long.
He said once food sits out for more than two hours, bacteria multiply rapidly and make it unsafe.
