SANDAKAN: A food factory producing bread products here was ordered to be closed immediately for a 14-day period by the Sandakan Health Office.
Sandakan Health officer Dr Johari Awang Besar said the closure order was made because the factory failed to implement the Food Safety Assurance Programme when cockroaches were detected in the premises during the inspection.
“Several locations were involved in the operation carried out from Batu 2½ to Batu 8 Jalan Labuk.
“Among the objectives of this operation was to ensure the food manufacturing industry complies with Food Hygiene Regulations 2009 by raising awareness and responsibility for safe food production and suitable for consumption,“ he told reporters after surveying a Ramadan bazaar in Batu 6 here today.
Johari also said that in the operation, 10 compound notices were issued under Section 32B of the Food Act 1983 for failing to provide a Food Safety Assurance Programme that violates the Food Regulations Food Hygiene 2009.
According to him, the RM2,500 compound involves a noodle processing plant, ice factory and rice packing factory, while three compound notices were issued to fish ball processing plants and four to bread and cake processing factories.
Regarding the Ramadan bazaars in Sandakan, Johari said 414 stalls in 10 Ramadan bazaars were inspected with 20 compound notices issued.
He said the number had increased compared to last year in which 413 stalls were inspected with nine compounds issued.
According to him, the small offences committed by traders in the bazaar were failing to wear a complete food handler’s attire, failing to maintain personal hygiene, namely keeping nails short and for failing to remove jewellery worn on the hands while handling food. — Bernama
