Ipoh City Council ensures food safety ahead of Deepavali

The Ipoh City Council is stepping up its game to ensure food safety during the festive season.

Recently, the Food Safety and Quality Unit of its Environmental Health Department conducted its 12th food inspection of 2024 under the Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations 1985.

Named Ops Cahaya, this operation, held in conjunction with the upcoming Deepavali celebration, was focused on cleaning up food premises within Ipoh.

Protecting consumers through Ops Cahaya

The Ipoh City Council’s Ops Cahaya is like a thorough spring-cleaning of our local markets.

Just as we check every corner of our house for dirt before guests arrive, this operation examines food products closely, making sure everything from grocery stores to supermarkets meets safety standards.

The aim is simple: to make sure consumers are getting food that is fresh, safe, and hygienic.

During Ops Cahaya, the team inspected food premises, looking for products without proper labels, expired goods, damaged packaging, and spoiled fruits or vegetables.

Packaged goods missing essential information, such as expiration dates or nutritional details, were the main culprits.

Imagine buying a box of cereal with no indication of when it goes bad—this kind of oversight is exactly what Ops Cahaya works to eliminate.

Significant findings from food premises

The operation didn’t just scrape the surface; it dug deep. Inspectors examined nine food premises and confiscated 748 types of food products, with a total value of RM9,206.20.

To put it in perspective, that’s like sweeping up an entire aisle of unsafe food items from a large supermarket.

From these inspections, several key issues emerged. For instance, 574 products were found to have passed their expiration date, meaning they were potentially hazardous to consume.

Meanwhile, 2,937 food products failed to meet labeling standards—a red flag for food safety, as clear labels are crucial for consumers to make informed choices.

Picture grabbing a bottle of sauce that doesn’t even mention what’s inside or when it expires—it’s risky business.

In response to these violations, the Ipoh City Council issued 15 compound notices, amounting to RM5,500 in fines, under the Licensing of Food Establishments By-Laws 2017.

With Deepavali just around the corner, Ops Cahaya is a timely reminder that food safety is everyone’s responsibility.