HEALTH MINISTRY ASSURES SAFETY OF IMPORTED PEANUT BUTTER AND PASTE

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry Thursday assured that
peanut butter and peanut paste imported into the country are safe for
consumption.

The ministry's Food Safety and Quality Division director Noraini Mohd Othman
said Stage 5 checks were conducted at all entry points into the country, as
well as in the market, on peanut butter and peanut paste from the United States
of America.

This followed a report by the Cable News Network (CNN) of Tuesday which said
that peanut butter and peanut paste imported from Peanut Corporation of America
(PCA) was contaminated with Salmonella typhimurium, a type of bacteria which can
cause serious infection.

She said checks were also conducted on The Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookie
Corp. (M) Sdn Bhd and it was found that the company did use dough made of peanut
butter and peanut paste imported from PCA.

However, the company had withdrawn the dough from the shelves at its three
sales premises -- the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and Sungai Wang Plaza,
both in Kuala Lumpur, and at the KL International Airport in Sepang, she said
in a statement issued here Thursday.
-- BERNAMA