Food Safety & Hygiene

Hi Everyone,

We often heard of more and more of tainted food and food poisoning cases in the world. Among these cases are:

1. China Tainted Milk Scandal in 2008
2. 13 Pupils Hit With Food Poisoning in Alor Star
3. Unhygienic Food Preparation
4. Unhygienic Eateries
5. Cyclospora Parasite Sickens 362 in 15 States, 18 Hospitalized

The China milk scandal involving several milk brands including budget brand, Sanlu, Mingli, Yili and Yashili. Babies who had been fed Sanlu branded milk were found to have kidney stones resulting in 16 babies were dead in one region in Gangsu. Further investigations revealed that the milk powders were laced with melamine, a chemical used to increase protein content^.1 Greedy and ignorant companies were boosting their profits by including melamine in milk production. We wonder why there is no conscience among unscrupulous manufacturers.

Closer to home, there were several food poisoning cases happened recently^2,3,4 and in the past few years. There were also reports on unhygienic food preparation and eateries. Rats and cockroaches are the main culprits in most of these cases. Surprisingly, some people are defending the unhygienic eateries by claiming that it tastes good. There is a restaurant near by house that is always full of people yet I have been told that this restaurant is surrounded by huge rats. Most people would actually avoid these restaurants rather than frequent these restaurants. In some cases, people will find some type of insect such as a cockroach or a fly on a plate of rice or in the bowl of a soup. 

There are also restaurants that do not prepare food hygienically. Vegetables and fruits are not washed and food are cooked using unclean cooking oil. Unclean oil means that the cook uses the cooking oil that was used in the previous day or the cooking oil found in the drain also known as Gutter Oil. It is to our disgust that we see the video showing how gutter oil is produced. Gutter Oil is present in 1 in 10 of China's cooking oil and is carcinogenic. Food not prepared in hygienic ways will cause diarrhoea and vomiting. It will cause Hepatitis C and death in worst cases. Rats in the surrounding area also cause the Leptospirosis disease.

Recently in US, there is also the case of Cyclospora happening mostly in the state of Iowa. It sickened 274 people and hospitalises 10. To know more, please read Item 2 in the links above.

A number of fruit and vegetable farmers and sellers are also spraying huge amounts of pesticide and insecticide to their crops. These are not good as there will be high level of chemicals in our body after consuming these foods.

There is also a concern of food safety in China. This is written by one of The Star's journalist who is working in China.

In a nutshell, all food should be prepared in a clean environment. Food must be fresh and free of any harmful chemicals. Fruits and vegetables need to be washed thoroughly. Dirty parts should be removed. Unhygienic food can kill.

1. 2008 Chinese Milk Scandal, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Chinese_milk_scandal, 

<sup>Accessed: 27th July 2013

2. 12 Penang students down with food poisoning, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/12-penang-students-down-with-food-poisoning/, Accessed: 27th July 2013

3. 13 Pupils Hit With Food Poisoning, http://www.malaysiandigest.com/news/36-local2/332061-13-pupils-hit-with-food-poisoning.html , Accessed: 27th July 2013

4. 70 pupils of Bukit Kapar school down with food poisoning, http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/02/20/70-pupils-of-Bukit-Kapar-school-down-with-food-poisoning.aspx , Accessed: 27th July 2013</sup>

Safety on the Roads

Hi Everyone,

Snatch thieves, robberies rape and other crimes are happening frequently for the past 2 years. Innocent lives were threatened and some were lost. All these happened in an instant without any warning. It can happen anywhere including residential areas, commercial areas, restaurants, alleyways and parks. As of today, there is almost a murder or shooting in the news everyday.

Areas involved include Bukit Gasing, Wangsa Maju, Cheras, Penang, Petaling Jaya, KL, Johor and other areas. There is a crime awareness website and a crime awareness Facebook page as well. It is not safe as before. This also applies to cities such as Melbourne, Australia and Italy.

Actions seem to have been taken but crime rate still increases. More and more residential areas have started to employ guards to guard their community. Most of us need to come back home by 12am. We need to be vigilant to our surroundings and not fall victims into crimes. 

Perhaps these are some steps to take to curb crimes: 

• More patrolling by the police should be done
• Learn martial arts and kick boxing for self defence
• Pepper Spray
• Don't carry expensive items
• Don't carry things in a position for snatch thieves to take
• Carry minimum cash when jogging
• CCTVs / Guardhouses in residential areas
• Take the more crowded (average to slightly more crowded) ways to go home instead of short cuts
• Wear cheap watch
• Just give them money when they ask

These thieves and robbers may not necessarily be done by foreigners here but can be the locals. The cause of these may be due to rising costs of living and insufficient money to buy what they want. Some may be their plan all the time as an act of revenge or something. I do not know what their reasons are but we need to be vigilant outside.

Can all these be reduced and stopped? Please help to make each country safe whether here in Malaysia and other countries.

Cheers,

Rogerkoo