Dragon King Brand Baby Pineapples Aren't Exported To Malaysia - MOH

KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 (Bernama) -- Dragon King brand of frozen peeled baby pineapples originating from Thailand said to be laced with cyclamic acid, are not exported to Malaysia. Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a statement here Friday said it was based on the Food Safety Information System of Malaysia (FoSIM) data collected from 2017 to present. “The same issue has also gone viral in 2017. According to the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), cyclamate is a type of non-nutrient sweetener that gives a sweet taste of 30 to 50 times more than sucrose sugar. The Food Regulations 1985 did not allow its use in fresh fruits including those peeled or ready-to-eat. “The MOH (Ministry of Health) has increased the monitoring of imported pineapples at the country’s points of entry from 2017 to present, of which 65 samples of pineapple were taken for analysis of various parameters such as sweetener (including cyclamate), preservatives and pesticide residues. All the samples are in compliance with the Food Act 1983 and the regulations under it,” he said. Dr Noor Hisham said the MOH would continue monitoring on all pineapples brought into the country and any violation of the Act and regulations would face legal action. Section 13 (B) of the Food Act 1983 stated that no person shall prepare or sell any adulterated food. “A person who contravenes any provisions of this section commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding RM20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both,” he said. Further enquiries on food safety issues can be made by contacting any district health office or state health department or at MOH’s Public Complaint Management System’s portal at http://moh.spab.gov.my or the Food Safety and Quality Division’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/bkkmhq. -- BERNAMA