KEPALA BATAS: Penang Health Department inspectors ordered the closure of a 50-year-old fish ball factory after vermin were found contaminating products at its premises.
Food Safety and Quality Division (BKMM) environmental health officer, Mohd Wazir Khalid, said the factory has 14 days to improve cleanliness after flies, cockroaches and centipedes were discovered on the food and in storage containers; while rat droppings were found in the storeroom.
"Although it is not a halal product, we still have a responsibility to protect the non-Muslim community," he said of the Ops Tegar that was conducted yesterday.
He told reporters that the product was found on the floor, covered in flies and cockroaches, which could cause food poisoning.
He said they also found a fish ball product mixed with a pork-based product that was not labelled in Malay, violating Regulation 10 of the Food Act 1983, which could cause consumer confusion because it is sold at wet markets around Penang.
Mohd Wazir said the factory was raided twice last year and given a verbal warning for the same violations.
He said BKMM also issued three compound notices under Regulation 32 of the Food Act 1983 because employees were not wearing aprons or shoes, and many had not been immunised against typhoid.
The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) had also joined the operation and it, too, issued compound notices to the factory owner.
KPDNHEP Penang also confiscated around 45 1kg packs of subsidised cooking oil which were being stored without permission and violated the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
In all, eight compound notices totalling RM4,100 were issued. - BERNAMA