TASEK GELUGOR, Sept 17 — The Penang Health Department has ordered two food processing factories and a grocery store to close for 14 days due to the premises’ unsatisfactory cleanliness level.
Its Food Safety and Quality Division Environmental Health officer Mohd Wazir Khalid said that the raids carried out in collaboration with the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP), and the three premises were also issued with compounds of RM20,000 each for various hygiene-related offences.
One of the premises raided was a factory processing ‘mi sua’ noodles in Kampung Selamat, operating without a licence, which was located opposite a pig farm.
“This factory was previously raided in 2012 and up until now it has been operating illegally.
“From the Health Ministry’s perspective, we are against the location as it can cause food contamination. I leave it to the licensing department to take action,” he told reporters after conducting the operation here today.
He added that the noodles produced were being processed on the floor and dried in an open area where there was a possibility that the noodles were contaminated with foreign elements including bird droppings.
The second premise raided was a coconut processing factory, also located in Kampung Selamat, which was found to be operating in a dirty condition and without a licence.
He said that workers were spotted stepping on dried coconut, and the coconuts were stored in dirty containers placed near a toilet with the possibility of contamination such as cholera and typhoid.
The last raid was carried out at a grocery store in Tasek Gelugor and the results of the inspection found rat droppings and items being sold way past their due dates, he said.
Source: Bernama, Facebook Majlis Bandaraya Seberang Perai