SHAH ALAM, April 23 (Bernama) -- Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai
said he was not satisfied with the effort to manage food poisoning cases at
school canteens even though the total number of cases for last year at 146
represented only 1.4 per cent of the total schools in the country.
He believed the incidents of food poisoning could be further reduced if food
handlers at school canteens and teachers jointly shouldered the responsibility
to ensure that the food sold were clean and safe.
"Besides that, the three important steps, namely look, smell and taste
should be practised by students when selecting food to avoid poisoning.
"Through the three steps, cases of food poisoning could be reduced," he told
reporters after presenting the national level ''2011 Clean Canteen and Clean
Secondary School Dining Hall Awards'' here today.
"Last year, there were 434 cases of food poisoning reported through the
country and from the total, 146 cases were reported to have occurred in 135
schools," he said.
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LIOW-POISONING 2 (LAST) SHAH ALAM
Consequently, Liow requested the Ministry of Education to blacklist school
canteen operators found causing food poisoning among students.
"The Health Ministry has issued warnings and directives to close dirty and
high risk canteens which caused food poisoning among schoolchildren," he said.
According to him, blacklisted school canteen operators would not be allowed
to carry out business at other schools.
Liow said blacklisted food handlers would be required to attend a three-hour
food handling course if they want to resume their business operation.
Earlier Liow also launched an E-Komuniti portal which is the Food Safety
Interactive Site Club or MOH KLIK which is the initiative of the ministry to
help students obtain information on food safety.
School children could interact with the ministry through its fan page in MOH
Klik.
-- BERNAMA
VSS NAK CHW AO