Our March 2020 Classes

We would like to express our appreciation to our clients in this month. 

Our planned classes are cancelled after our prime minister announced the 14-days movement restriction.  For the sake of safety measures to ourselves and our clients, we decided to obey the announcement.  

Hopefully the COVID-19 incident could be controlled and reduced. And we hope to provide training again soon. 

Stay with us and we will publish April 2020 schedule soon. 

Thank you.  

Food Store Concerns ...

Running food store business and no idea what to concern? To gain customer's trust and comply food hygiene regulations, food business owner should make sure to produce hygiene and safe food always.  Do avoid the followings - 

1. Reuse cooking oil many times until the oil darken.  Business owner should not, due to saving cost, to reuse the cooking oil until it is darken.  The low quality oil will affect the health of consumers. According to Nutritionist, reusing cooking oil increases the cholesterol, creates peroxides acid , causes cancer, attacks organ cells and can infect the white blood cells.   

2. To put the food onto newspaper. When food is kept onto newspaper, the ink on newspaper easily melt and contaminate the food.  The ink has is carcinogen which could caused cancer in consumers.  Besides, the material of newspaper also contain chemical.  

3. Food which is kept for marinating is not put into enclosed container.  Raw high risk food such as chicken meat should be frozen to reduce the bacteria growth.  The selection of raw food is essential.  When freezing, the raw food should be kept in n enclosed container.     

4. Eggs are not washed before using to fry burger.  Eggs might have chicken's feces, which contain bacteria Salmonella. If egg is not washed properly and proceed to cooking, the eggs contain might contaminated with Salmonella and it will cause Food poisoning. 

Thus, as a food store business owner, you ought to take care of these issues so that you can continue to produce delicious and safe meals for your customers. Food safety brings you food quality and you will "grab" your customers in a long run.  

Credit: Sir Sazly Tulih

Clean restaurant? Look at the kitchen...

To judge a restaurant is clean or otherwise, it is not enough to check on the dining area.  The kitchen should be the area to determine (although we do not used to observe it). 

One of the equipment to be concerned is the Refrigerator.  Refregerator is used to keep food so that food can last longer and safe to be consumed. 

If Refrigerator is utilized in such as way (as per in the photo), it does not serve the purpose to prolong the shelf life of food.  Let's check it out the errors - 

1. Raw foods are not kept in the enclosed container. 

2. Liquids (blood) flow out from raw food that could contaminate other food. 

3. There are thick frost that disturb the freezer system.  

4. Arrangement of raw food that causing cross contamination.  

Thus, do make sure  

a) to do frequent check against the freezer

b) to wash the freezer once a week so that no frost is formed.

c) to keep raw food in an enclosed container. 

d) temperature should be at 4oC or below (for chiller) and -18oC to 0oC for freezer.

Credit: Food Safety & Quality Division, Labuan Federal Territory Health Department

What is FIFO system?

First In, First Out (FIFO) is a system to keep and distribute food. It could be raw food, food additive, in-process products or final products. In this system, things which is kept longer (First In) would be distribute in advance (First out).  

This method is to make sure the food is used before it is deteriorate.  So, each portion of food should have a batch no, preparing date or expiring date and should be arranged  in a way that could ease the earlier batch of food being taken and consumed.  Thus, labling is very important. It should applied on raw food, in-process product or final products.

In a food processing plant, it is important that the stored food in fridge, cold room, wet/ dry food store are labelled with batch no / production no / expiry date.  Each company would have their own pattern of no and should be recorded in MeSTI system. 

This system enable food handlers to make sure 

1. The longer keeping food to be used in advance.
2. to consume the food before its expiry date

Besides, chemicals (especially those that had expiry dates) and packaging material should also applying FIFO so that the consistency of the quality during usage could be maintained. 

FIFO could be applied at home or restaurant too. The idea is to make sure the earlier stored food (with earlier Use-by date) then one another should be used first. With that, the good quality of stored food could be maintained.  Of course, we should make sure that the food is not to be kept for too long (preferable with 2-days storing). 
   FIFO is important in food supplies and food handling. It also helps to control the quantity of usage to avoid bulk storage , that may cause food spoilage (as a result of too long keeping).  

Credit: Food Safety & Quality Division, Labuan Federal Territory Health Department

Is the ice you bought (for your food business) save?

Ministry of Health (MOH) acknowledged the recommendation from YB Tuan Phee boon Poh, the Penang Welfare, Society and Environment Exco that published on The Star on 19 February 2020. In the article, YB is recommending the public not to consume the ice that is from the unknown source and the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) can be infected via liquid.  With that, MOH is making the following information to the public.  

"Ice Standard and license requirement that ice manufacturers should comply is stated at  Regulation 394A, 1985 Food Regulations.  The processed ice should be derived from treated water source and gone through disinfectign by several technologies such as ionize radiation technology, ultra-violet and so on. Besides, based on current studies and informations about COVID-19, the compliance of standard and license requirement by the ice manufacturers could ensure the processed ice is save."    

"Food Quality and Safety Division of MOH would also frequently survey Ice manufacturers in this country in order to make sure Ice Manufacturers comply the regulations. Until now there are 156 ice manufacturers throughout the country bearing ice licence under MOH while there are 16 Ice manufacturers are still in the midst of certification."

"On 2019, there are 140 Ice Manufacturers are found operating without license.  19 of them were taken actions while 122 more manufactuers would be taken action in this year. Ice Manufacturer owners who is operating the ice manufacturing without license from MOH will be fined not more than RM10,000 or imprisonment not more than two (2) tahun."

To apply / maintain Ice license, one should comply MeSTI requirement.  the requirement for ice is strict as ice is a ready-to-eat food. Each year, Ice Manufacturers should sample water and the produced ice to the designated laboratory to do analysis.  Manufacturers who passes ALL parameters stated at Schedule 25A for the 2 samples only is given the certifications of Ice Licence (same to the maintenance of license)    

Credit: 
Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah 
Director of Ministry of Health
25 February 2020

Used Cloth as Towel...? NO.....

Have you seen people / are you using the used cloth as towel to rub tables or food equipments?  NO! we should avoid this practice.  Why? Let's check it out -

Used cloth, could be not washed since that last "used".  Imagine, when using it to rub things. How many surfaces were rubbed? How many times it was washed and disinfected after used (or just rinse and dry it?)

Studies show that used cloth contain Escherichia coli, Salmonella and several other pathogens which could cause cross contamination and contaminate food.  What would happen if we consumed these pathogens or toxin? Yeap, it will incurr food poisoning, and can be lethal when over dehydration. 

Anything we could do to avoid the contamination? Yes, definitely...     

1. Use only clean towel and clean it with soap (after use), disinfect by rinsing with hot water and throw it away when the cloth are broken.

2. Separate the cloth usage according to purposes.  It would be nice if can separate with colours. 

3. Could also use disposable towel. 

Credit: Madam Erma Nur Shadila (Food Technologist Officer )

Sustainable Food Business...

Three restaurants at Penang were ordered to closed for 14 days by Penang Town Municipal (MBPP) as the result of cockroaches, mouse body and feces were found in the kitchens, on a Thursday of Feb 2020.  There were also seven compounds being issued after inspecting 6 premises. 

When initiating a food business, food business owners might have a very strong reason to start with, perhaps delicious food, premise's design, strategic locations, fair prices etc etc. We could have a lot of promotions / ways to increase food business, maintain or expand it. However, there is one thing that food business crew should do everyday - to maintain the hygienic of the premise.

when premise (restaurant / cafe / canteen) is not clean, it will attract pest such as cockroaches, mouse and flies to contaminate the premise, equipment and food.  Just imagine, when contamination happens, customers consumed the contaminated food and suffer from food poisoning.  It will have the following impacts -

1. Customers reduced, business reduced
2. Customers help to "promote" the dirty premise
3. Health officers ordered to close premise for 14 days
4. Food Handlers are requested to attend course again.
5. .....

Food Business is like a goose that lay golden eggs. Thus, food business owners should responsible for the food safety and respect their business.  make sure customers enjoy good and safe food. Maintaining clean premise is a habit and should be maintained by every food handlers in a premise. 

When premise, equipment and food is clean, it is one of a strength for food business owners to compete with others.   DO YOU AGREE?    

Credit: Astro AWANI

Are you preparing safe food in your premise?

Food safety is an essential issue when preparing food either for business or family consumption at home.   There are some issues that should be addressed as follow: 

1. Food preparing space should be clean .✅

2. Food preparing space should be distanced from contmination source such as rubbish bin. ✅

3. Equipment used should be clean.✅

4. Food material should be put in the right, save and non-toxic container.✅

5. Always pratising hand washing before preparing food ✅

........ and many more.

Warning❗❗❗

For premise that is preparing food for selling, food handlers who do not comply requirements in food preparing, packaging, and serving as stated at Regulation 36(1)(a). Food Hygiene Regulations 2009, will be incurred

1. Not more that RM10,000  OR

2. Not more than 2 years of imprisonment  

Credit: Food Safety & Quality division, Labuan Federal Territory Health Department.

What is Defrost?

Defrost is a thawing process of raw food such as meat, chicken, fish and so on.  The process is an important control point process during food preparation.  It is one of the cause of food poisoning, if it is not handled probably.

Frozen foods, especially high risk food (meat, chicken, fishes etc) should be thawed thoroughly before we cook.  When food is not thawed thoroughly, the thick high risk food would not be cooked as the heat does not transfer through the inner part o the food. When it the part is not cooked, the bacteria which stayed in the food will survive and causing food poisoning against the consumer.  

Thus, there are 3 ways of safety thawing :

1️⃣   chilling

- Put the frozen raw food into a chiller
- Make sure the raw food is put in a container and is put in the level that is at the lowest level of a chiller.    This is to avoid the melt of ice or blood from contaminating other food in the chiller.
- To keep the food for 24 hours to 3 days (if the premise have good temperature control.

2️⃣  Running water

- Put the raw food into a container
- Flowing water in room temperature against raw food.
- Make sure water running
- Make sure the packaging material of raw food is not teared off to avoid contamination and the decrease
  of food quality.
- Duration : max 2 jam

3️⃣  Heating in microwave

- Put the raw food into the microwave and press defrost

Credit: Food Safety & Quality division, Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya Federal Territory Health Department.

Prohibited Food in Malaysia

The Food Safety & Quality division of Ministry of Health (MOH) had surveyed a product named Energy Candy and found out that the product contained prohibited substance - tadalafil.  This substance had been listed in a prohibited list in 1983 Food Act.  The effected products are ExtrAli Energy Candy, Extra Strong Energy Candy dan Mixed Fruit Candy. 

Tadalafil is a controlled drug that is been used to treat patients that suffered with Erectile Dysfunction. This medicine is given only to the patients under the supervision of registered healthy Profession member. The mis-used of tadalafil without monitoring could cause site effects such as lost of eye-sight and hearing, drastic decreasing of blood pressure until it is fatal to cardiovascular system like stroke and heart attack. 

With that, the prohibition of import is issued immediately and MOH warns every vendors (who is still to keeping stock of the products) to stop distributing and selling including online selling. Under the section 13, 1983 Food Act, business owner who found offence will be incurred not more than RM100,000, imprisonment not more than 10 years, or both.    

The consumers are also advised not to buy these products.  Do not eat it if already bought and to take advice form health Professions if there is any uncomfortable or effects.

Credit: Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, Chief Director of Ministry of Health

Which type of cockroaches is normally found in food premises?

Cockroaches is a pest in the order Blattaria or Blattodea. They lives in dark and moisture places such as the closet crevices, underneath of refrigerator, in the closet, below the zinc and faeces tank. 

Cockroaches contaminate food when they are creep on food. The fur of the leg carries and spreading bacteria and viruses, worm eggs, fungus, and dirts.  This will cause food poisoning on the people who consumed the contaminated food.

Besides self controlling on pest in the premise, food business owner could also engage licensed Pest Control Company to control the pest infestation in the food premise. 

If there is presence of pest in the food premise, the enforced officer could order to close the premise, under section 10 & 11, 1983 Food Act, involving issuance of Hygiene Notice and to close the unsanitory food premise. 

Thus, do make sure that food premise is free from pest, mainly the cockroaches, fly and mouse (commonly call in short as LILATI). 

Credit: Food Safety & Quality division, Labuan Federal Territory Health Department

Does BROKEN EGGS saved to be consumed ?

Eggs contaminated with Salmonella bacteria is the main reason of food poisoning to people and is live threatening, especially to pregnant mums, old folks and children. 

Salmonella is found in chicken's intestine.and the chicken can be infected by Salmonella via fertilizers, farm, faeces during transportation, slaughtering, and processing in factory.  Although precautions steps could be done from farm until processing to avoid Salmonella infection on eggs, there are possibilities to occur, especially during selling.   Look at the picture on the right. Do you think the broken eggs is hygiene and save to be consumed? Contamination can happen 

when the eggs are broken 

when collecting the eggs content into plastic bags

when the egg content is stored for sale.

Just imagine....

1. Food handler might not wash hands before handling it

2. Place for processing the eggs might be dirty

3. The tools might not clean and  / or not in good condition.

4. The packaging material is also not proper to keep the egg content.

5. Without the shell, the egg content lost he protection and expose to the air directly and easily incur bacteria growth on it.

6.  Buyer might not cook the eggs directly after purchase.

7. How long would he keep if not consumed immediately?

8. What is the storage temperature? 

9. Would he cook properly? 

..... Too many doubt on this matter, agree? 

Thus, it is important for food handlers to know the food safety measures when they are handling food. Do not buy cheap but contaminated food.  It will cause Food poisoning and create unnecessarily consequences.   

Credit: Food Safety & Quality Division, Labuan Federal Territory Health Department

Our February 2020 classes

Appreciate the supports of our clients at February 2020! We look forward to provide training to more Food Handlers in Sabah.

If you are yet to join our class, kindly book with us.  If you already joined Food Handlers Training Course (after 2009), do join our Telegram or subscribe our blog so that you can continue to receive information about Food safety.

Have a nice day!