MALAYSIAN FOOD INDUSTRIES TOLD TO ADHERE TO SAFETY STANDARDS

PETALING JAYA (Malaysia), June 23 (Bernama) -- Food industries in Malaysia
must play an important role in ensuring food products produced by them adhere to
safety standards set by the government as well as by importing countries,
Director General of Health Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said Tuesday.

"Industries must be more innovative, imaginative and display the willingness
to implement food safety programmes and reform as they would greatly benefit,
he said when opening the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology (MIFT) Seminar
and Workshop here.

Mohd Ismail said the Health Ministry had taken steps in improving and
ensuring all food industries implement food safety assurances which includes the
adoption of risk based regulatory framework, policies, enforcement and standard
setting.

For example, he said the Food Hygiene Regulation 2009 requires that all
industries implement food safety assurance system, where it would boost the
implementation of such a system including Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

"The GMP Certification Scheme was launched by the ministry in Dec 2006 to
assist food industries in fulfilling food safety requirements as well as
consumer demands.

"The ministry is now promoting the implementation of GMP to food industries
by increasing the awareness of the system as well as its benefits," he added.

Mohd Ismail said requirements of importing countries are also changing and
in the wake of these challenges, the industries themselves must play and an even
more important role in ensuring food safety.
-- BERNAMA