Food Safety and Quality Control Division (FSQD)

Food Safety and Quality Control Division

- To ensure safe food for consumer protection and education on food safety.

Activities:

1.) Food premises inspection (Numbers of target in year 2010: 384)

2.) Food sampling

3.) To carry out investigation in a case of food poisoning

4.) Conduct an investigation on the reported food-related complaints

5.) Conduct education programmes on food safety

6.) Awarded an anti-typhoid vaccination certificate for food handlers

7.) Initiated the relevant measures upon received of food alert notifications

8.) Involve in the yearly held “Kedah State Healthy Living” operational programme

Food Legislation:

1.)Food Act 1983

2.)Food Regulation 1985

3.) Food Regulations 1993 (extensions of the Food Act 1983 to Tobacco and others)

4.) Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004

5.)Food Hygiene Regulations 2009

6.) Food Regulations 2009 (Issuance of Health Certificate for Export of Fish and Fish Products to the European Union)

7.) Food Irradiation Regulations 2011

Procedures of Food Sampling:

5.1 Authorized sampling personnel

In the context of Food Regulations 1985, authorized officers shall be as defined under section 3 of Food Acts 1983

5.2 Legal Procedure

Food Samples procured for enforcement purpose should comply with the procedures of taking samples for microbiological, physical or chemical analysis under Regulations 4 and 5 of Food Regulations 1985.

5.21 Procedures on taking sample for chemical and physical analysis

The authorized officer should:

a.) Mix liquid, free flowing or suspended materials until the products is homogenous;

b.) Divide the sample into 3 separate parts and mark and seal or fasten up each part;

c.) Offer 1 part to the seller, importer, manufacturer, his agent or the person having charge of the food

d.) 1 part for laboratory analysis delivered personally or through another authorized officer or by A.R. (Acknowledgement of Receipt) registered mail to an analyst;

e.) retain another part.

The laboratory result will be obtained within 3 months.

5.21 Procedures on taking sample for microbiological analysis

The authorized officer should:

a.) only take one sample and shall not be divided into several parts ;

b.) mark and seal the sample;

c.) deliver such sample for laboratory analysis delivered personally or through another authorized officer to an analyst.

The analyst should reject the sample if

1.) the sample taken is more than 24 hours or

2.) the sample temperature in the coldbox is more than 8⁰C or

3.) incomplete fill of request form.

The laboratory result will be obtained within 1 month.

5.3 Aseptic Sampling

5.3.1 Use of sterile equipments and containers

5.3.2 Opening sterile sample container without touching the inside of the container, lip or lid

5.4 Packing, Sealing and Marking of Samples and Sample Containers

5.4.1 Food samples must maintain a temperature of 0-8⁰C throughout in a refrigerator or an insulated cool box.

5.4.2 The sample or the container into which it is to be placed should be labelled immediately before or after the taking of the sample.

5.4.3 For the purpose of enforcement, labels for food samples should comply with Regulations 6 of Food Regulations 1985.

- The label for food sample should be in duplicate with a common counterfoil in the form (Pic.4).

- Where a food sample is divided into three parts, one of such label shall be pasted on each of the sample while the remaining label is to be affixed with the request for analysis form (Pic. 2).

- If there is only one sample taken, only one of the labels shall be pasted on such sample while another label is to be affixed to the request form.

There are 3 Food Quality Control Laboratory caters the north located at Butterworth, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kangar.

A sampling report (Pic.3) for record purpose should be prepared, signed by authorized officer.

Sampling equipments

Type of Forms