GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Health Department today disposed 1,620kg of celery imported from China after they were found to contain Organonitrogen pesticide residue in excess of the permitted limit.
Its director Dr Maarof Sudin said the vegetables worth about RM12,960 were brought in from China through the Penang international gateway.
According to Dr Maarof, the state Health Department, through the Food Safety and Quality Division, will continue to ensure that agricultural products imported into the country are in compliance with the requirements of the Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations 1985.
"This is to ensure consumers can be protected from issues related to food safety," he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Maarof said the Health Ministry, through the Food Safety and Quality Division, conducted regular monitoring on agricultural products sold in local markets.
"As a result of the monitoring conducted in 2020, we detected an average of 12.2 per cent of pesticide residue violations.
"Traceability has been implemented and notified to the relevant producers and importers of agricultural products," he said.
"This year the monitoring of the presence of pesticide residue in agricultural products continued and action at various levels had been implemented to ensure all producers, sellers, agents and importers of agricultural products adhered to the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985."