This document provides an overview of Malaysia's food safety system. It discusses the complexity of the system with different authorities responsible for food safety at different stages of the food chain. It also outlines the Ministry of Health's food safety and quality control program, strategies, activities, and initiatives to strengthen food legislation, enforcement, industry standards, training, and more to ensure a safe domestic and imported food supply in Malaysia.
1. FOOD SAFETY IN MALAYSIA
- an overview
Dr. Abdul Rahim bin Mohamad
Food Safety and Quality Division
Department Of Public Health
Ministry Of Health Malaysia
2. Malaysia’s Food Safety System
“The Malaysia food safety system is
characterized by its complexity and
diversity; with different authority
entrusted with the task of ensuring food
safety at different stages of the food
chain”
3. FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
Supply of A gricult ural Input s
e .g Fertilizer s, pest icid es,animal f eeding st uff s, MOH /MOA
vet erinary dr ugs
Primar Production
y
Upstream e.g. f armer s, f ishe rman, f ish f armer s
MOA
Primar Food Processing
y MO H/ MO A/JAKI M
e .g on f arm, dairi e abbat oir s, gr ain mi ll s
s, Loc al Governme nt
Sec ondary Food Processing MO H/JAKI M
e.g. canning, free zing, dr ying, brewing Loc al Governme nt
M idstream Food D istribution MO H/ MITI /M OD T/
e.g. nati onal/int er ional, im port /expor t
nat Cus toms/Local Govt.
Food Retail ing/ Food C atering
MOH /MO DT/JAKI M
Downstream e.g. r estaur ants, s treet foods, hospit als, s chool s
Loc al Governme nt
su perm arket s, shops
MOH /
Domest ic Food Loc al Governme nt
Production
4. Food Import
• The importation of food from foreign
countries is overseen by the
– Ministry of Health( Food Inspectors at entry
points)
– Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) for
meat
– Fishery Department for life fish and fish
5. Food Export
• Certification (Health Cert., Free Sale etc) for exported
food including fish & fish products are issued by
Ministry of Health( Food Safety & Quality) based on
requirements by importing countries or by the exporters
for the purpose of getting letter of credit (LC).
• Certification for live fish is by Fishery Department; meat
by DVS and plants/vegetables by DOA respectively.
• In 2002, Malaysia food export amounted to about RM7.4
billion. (Euro 1.5billion)
6. Overview of the Food Safety Program in MOH
>200,000 food RM16.8 billion (local) 35% income
premises RM12 billion (import) used for food
Food Safety and Quality Control
Legislation Human Resource Laboratory
•Food Act 1983 •Public Health Specialist •10 FQCL
•Food Regulations 1985 •Food Technologist •4 PHL
•New Regulations •Nutritionist •Other agencies
•Asst. Food Technologist
•Asst. Env. Health Officer
Policy & Planning
•Food Safety & Quality Division(MOH)
Implementation and Supervision
•14 states, 136 district, 34 entry points
7. LEGAL MANDATE
• Food Act 1983
• gazetted on 10 March 1983
• Food Regulations 1985
• gazetted on 26 September 1985
• Enforced together on
• 1st October 1985
8. FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY CONTROL
(1) GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To Protect The Public Against Food
Related Hazards & Fraud As Well As
To Motivate And Promote The
Preparation, Handling, Distribution,
Sale And Consumption Of Safe And
Quality Food.
9. FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY CONTROL
(1) STRATEGIES
• Establish, Review, & Update Food Legislation To
Ensure Safe Food Supply Domestically And
Internationally.
• Continuous Strengthening of Food Safety
Infrastructures Including Food Inspection
Capabalities, Sampling And Laboratory Facilities
& IT To Ensure Food Safety.
10. FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY CONTROL
(2) STRATEGIES
• Enhance Effective Collaboration With Relevant
Government Agencies, Food Industry, Consumer
Groups, Professional Bodies, Academia And
International Organisations.
• Develop Adequate & Skilled Human Resources
To Ensure Effective Implementation Of The
Programme.
11. FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY CONTROL
(3) STRATEGIES
• To Increase Consumer’s Knowledge &
Awareness Through Continuous
Consumer Education
12. ACTIVITIES:
LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT
• Legislative Support, Codes of Practice and
Guidelines
• Continuous development and updating of
food legislation
• Vetting of new food products to ensure
regulatory compliance
• Technical advisory services on Food
Regulations 1985.
• Development of guidelines & codes of
practice
13. ISSUES:
LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT
• Legislative Support, Codes of Practice and
Guidelines
• Continuous development and updating of
food legislation
• Vetting of new food products to ensure
regulatory compliance
• Technical advisory services on Food
Regulations 1985.
• Development of guidelines & codes of
practice
14. ACTIVITIES:
ENFORCEMENT
• Plan and monitor the implementation of
enforcement activities;
• Domestic food
• Imported food
• Food crisis
• Food poisoning outbreaks
• Licensing of
• natural mineral water and drinking water,
• the importation, sale, manufacture, purchase
and use of saccharin
• Inter-agencies collaboration and coordination on
enforcement.
• Assurance of effective prosecution through Core
Prosecution Team (CPT).
• Establishment of Crisis Alert Team (CAT).
15. ENFORCEMENT PLANNING
• Food Sampling
• National Work Plan (NWP)
• 2 sample/1000 population/year
• used to set food sampling priorities
according to food problem, groups of food
commodities and targets.
• Food Premises Inspection
• premises are rated based on a std. format
• unhygienic premises are closed based on
provision in the Food Act 1983
16. ENFORCEMENT PLANNING
Food Sampling (2004)
Micro Micro
40%
Chemical
55% Physical
Chemical
Physical
5%
17. ENFORCEMENT PLANNING
• Import Control
• Inspection based on
• document
• Physical inspection
• Sampling
• Priority are set based
• past violation (black listed items)
• food entering for the first time
• Approach undertaken include
• Hold-test-release
• Undertaking letter
18. ACTIVITIES:
LABORATORY SERVICES
• Develop, strengthen and modernize
laboratory services
•Ensure optimal utilization of all existing food
laboratories in the country (within & outside
MOH)
• Ensure the implementation of the laboratory
quality system (ISO 17025)
19. FQCL PERLIS* FOOD LABORATORIES UNDER MINISTRY OF HEALTH MALAYSIA
(Kangar)
FQCL LAKA TEMIN FQCL KELANTAN
( Bukit Kayu Hitam) (Kota Bahru) PHL SABAH
(Kota Kinabalu)
FQCL TERENGGANU
FQCL PENANG (Kuala Terengganu)
(Butterworth)
PHL IPOH
FQCL PAHANG
(Mentakab)
FQCL
SANDAKAN
NATIONAL PHL* ( Sandakan )
(Sg. Buloh)
FQCL SELANGOR
(Kelang)
FQCL Miri
FQCL SARAWAK*
(Kuching)
Note :
PHL JOHORE* FQCL : Food Quality Control Laboratory
(Johor Bahru) PHL : Public Health Laboratory
20. ACTIVITIES:
INDUSTRY
• Provide advisory services; SMI
• Facilitate export; Health Cert., Free Sale Cert.,
Heat Process Meat Cert. Etc.
•Promote quality management system for food
safety assurance including HACCP/GHP etc to
the food sectors
•EU recognised Competent Authority for HACCP
Certification(Fish & fish products)
23. ACTIVITIES:
MONITORING & RESEARCH
• Develop smart partnership in priority
collaborative research program on food safety
especially with academia & professional bodies
& associations.
• Promote Risk Analysis
• Risk assessment
• Risk management
• Risk communication
24. ACTIVITIES:
CONSUMER EDUCATION
• Disseminate information on health issues and
food safety through information technology and
risk communication.
• Ensure smart partnership with mass media.
25. ACTIVITIES:
INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS)
• Maximization of IT utilization in FQC
programme:
• Online HMIS with state, district, entry point &
labs
• HMIS - SMK interface at major entry point
• Homepage
27. ACTIVITIES:
TRAINING
• Training of food handlers:
•To increase the awareness of food handlers on
food hygiene and sanitation in a more
structured and systematic manner, through
• Accreditation Food Handlers Training
Institutions – 1996
• Training of Trainer’s - 1998
28. ACTIVITIES:
TRAINING (CONT.)
• Training of personnel:
• Continuous education on food safety & its
implications in the era of globalisation
• “Hands on” training including attachment to
state, district, entry point offices, labs &
industries.
29. ACTIVITIES:
CODEX & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
• Codex Contact Point for Malaysia (since 1996)
• Chairman & Secretariat of National Codex
Committee
• SPS Enquiry Point on Food Safety
• Reference Center to deal with international food
standard, WTO including TBT, APEC, ASEAN,
etc.
30. CHANGING FOOD SCENARIOS THAT HAVE
IMPOSITIONS ON FOOD SAFETY
•Large-scale production
•Intensified agricultural practices
Food Production •Use of raw materials & products sourced from other countries
•New Processing techniques
•Convenience foods with minimum preparation
Consumer •Quest for “fresh”, “Natural” & “health” foods
- less harsh processing & production regime
requirements - greater care in production, distribution, storage &
preparation
•Consumption of food outside the home
•frequency of international travel - tourism/business
Social •increase in aged population - high risk group
•employment of foreign worker with different cultural and
handling practices
•Globalization - transnational challenge i.e. exposure to food-
borne hazards from other countries
Economic •Trade Framework - WTO Agreement on SPS & TBT
- AFTA
31. Changing Pattern of Food Food-Borne
Illness
Traditional New & Emerging
usually local widespread, multi-state, international
high dose low infective dose
organism readily isolated risk undetected by normal method
normal food processing may survive some processes
will eliminate pathogen
low mortality/easily high mortality/resistant to many
treated with antibiotic antibiotic
traditional food know to food not previously associated with
be associated food-borne illness
32. Key Food Safety Issues
• Existing Issues Being addressed
– Hygiene of eating establishment
– Residue of veterinary drugs
– Pesticides
– Abuse and overuse of food additives
– Mycotoxin
– inorganic contaminants
Effort already taking place to reduce the contravention and risk to consumers.
• New Issues beginning to be addressed
– Migration of chemicals substances from packaging materials and other
materials in contact with food
– Persistent Organic Environmental Pollutants (dioxin, PCBs, PAH)
– Chemical substances formed during cooking/processing
– Hypersensitivity, intolerance and allergic reactions
– Antibiotic resistant microorganism
33. OTHER ISSUES
• Legislation
– Harmonization with international standards
– Review of national standards based on risk assessment
incorporating available scientific evidence
– Shifting from end-products to process-based regulatory
standards
– Difference between public perception and scientific
assessment
– Keeping-up with factors influencing
development/review of national standards
• New technology e.g. new methods of processing and methods
of testing
• Changing hazards
34. OTHER ISSUES
• Industry
– Exporters need to comply with importing
country and buyers requirements but:-
• Importing countries have different standards and
regulatory approaches
• Food regulations are constantly changing
• Multiple level of regulations are encountered
– Commitment to food safety is not fully a part
of the operating cultures of many food
establishment
35. FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
Supply of A gricult ural Input s
e .g Fertilizer s, pest icid es,animal f eeding st uff s, MOH /MOA
vet erinary dr ugs
Primar Production
y
Upstream e.g. f armer s, f ishe rman, f ish f armer s
MOA
Primar Food Processing
y MO H/ MO A/JAKI M
e .g on f arm, dairi e abbat oir s, gr ain mi ll s
s, Loc al Governme nt
Sec ondary Food Processing MO H/JAKI M
e.g. canning, free zing, dr ying, brewing Loc al Governme nt
M idstream Food D istribution MO H/ MITI /M OD T/
e.g. nati onal/int er ional, im port /expor t
nat Cus toms/Local Govt.
Food Retail ing/ Food C atering
MOH /MO DT/JAKI M
Downstream e.g. r estaur ants, s treet foods, hospit als, s chool s
Loc al Governme nt
su perm arket s, shops
MOH /
Domest ic Food Loc al Governme nt
Production
36. MOH INITIATIVES
• THE FOOD SAFETY & NUTRITION
COUNCIL
– Approved by Malaysian Cabinet in March 2001 as
the highest advisory body to the government
– Partnership and cooperation with stakeholders to
ensure national coherence in food safety
– Members of the Council
• 22 agencies (government & NGOs)
– 2 Council meetings per year
– The National Food Safety Policy and Plan of
Action
• outcome from the 2nd. Council Meeting
• approved by Cabinet on 19 January 2003
37. FOOD SAFETY & NUTRITION COUNCIL
THE
COUNCIL
FOOD Nutrition
SAFETY
COMMITTEE Committee
TECHNICAL COMMITTEES ON FOOD SAFETY
FOOD MINERAL FOOD
CODEX FOOD SUPER HACCP
REG. H20 ANALYSIS
IRRADIATION GERMS
38. •Farm to table
•partnership with
Integrated
Education & other agencies
Approach •international collaboration
Research
•Tracing of feed,
ingredients & food
Keys Traceability •Recall procedures or laws
elements
•Risk assessment (information
of the
analysis & scientific advise)
National Food •Risk management (regulation,
Safety Science Based control & precautionary
Policy principle)
•Risk communication
•Involvement of
ICT Transparency stakeholders
•notifications
•To monitor and
evaluate •Lab
Capacity •Legislation
Building •Enforcement
39. MOH INITIATIVES
• Strengthening Food Legislation
– Nutrition Labeling & Claims
– Amendments to Schedule 16 of the Food Regulation
1985 on MRL for Pesticide Residue (gazetted)
– Regulations on Genetically Modified Foods (to be
gazetted)
– Food Hygiene Regulation (had dialogues with
stakeholders and in the final stage)
– Food Import Regulations (to be finalized with legal
advisor)
– Food Advertisement Regulations (to be finalized with
legal advisor)
40. MOH INITIATIVES
• Strengthening Laboratory Services
– upgrading of laboratory’s infrastructure
– technical cooperation with JICA 2001-2005 to improve
expertise in the areas pesticides, veterinary drugs, GMO
etc.
– Development of reference laboratory
– accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025
– participation in national & international proficiency
tests such NATA (Australia) & FAPAS (UK)
– optimal utilization of other laboratories
• Department of Chemistry - 10 labs.
• Veterinary & Pesticide Laboratory from MOA
• outsource to USM, MU
41. MOH INITIATIVES
• Research/Studies
– collaborative research with Universities
• MU - food packages (bisphenol A, phthalates in baby feeding bottles)
• UPM - Risk Assessment of Vibrio parahaemolyticus
- antibiotic resistant microorganism
• USM - Acrylamide in Foods
• Food Consumption Pattern
• Total Dietary Intake of Contaminants
• Dioxin in Breast milk
• Bacterial Survey of School Hostel Kitchen
• Quality Assurance program
– HACCP Certification Scheme
• independent 3rd. Party auditing
• integration of HACCP with other system including ISO 9000, Halal
etc.
– development of guidelines
• GHP
42. MOH INITIATIVES
• International Collaborations
– JICA “Project to Strengthen Food Safety Programme in Malaysia”
2001-2005
• Strengthening of Food Safety Administration
• Strengthening and Improvement of food analysis capability and food
inspection
• Development and promotion of food safety information
– EU-ASEAN Economic Cooperation Programme on Standards,
Quality and Conformity Assessment (Food Sector) 2003-2005 –
Consist of 4 components
• Strengthening of Food Testing Laboratories Capacities
• Strengthening of Food Inspection Capacities
• Strengthening capacities in food standardization & food legislation
information
• Promoting the Application of HACCP, GMP and GHP in Food SMEs
– SELAMAT?
43. MOH INITIATIVES
• International Fora
– Codex & International
• Hosting of the FAO/WHO Regional Conference on Food Safety for the Asia
& the Pacific (24-27 May 2004)
• Hosting of the 13th. Session of CCASIA (17-20 Sept 2002)
• Hosting of the upcoming CCFL (9-13 May 2005) in Sabah , West Malaysia
– ASEAN
• ASEAN Task Force on Codex - initiated by Malaysia
• ASEAN Expert Group on Food Safety - development of ASEAN Food Safety
Improvement Plan (Malaysia as coordinator)
– Bilateral
• With Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, China.
• BIMST Border Health Meeting
45. MOH Initiatives
• Food Safety Information System of Malaysia (FoSIM)
for Import Control
– development of a web-based system to link all 34 entry points to
control food import to ensure:-
• speedier clearance, consistent scrutiny and greater transparency
– launched in Aug 2003
• to be integrated with Custom’s system
– adapted from FAIINS (Food Automated Import Inspection Network
System ) of Japan with customization to FQC existing procedures.
– In-built intelligent/knowledge databases
– Automated examination levels, food codes,analytical parameter
codes,electronic references
46. MOH FQCD MOH ITC
FQC/SMK
Server
SMK
NETWORK SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM Back-up App DB Server
Server SVR
Padang
Kuala Perlis Kota Kinabalu
Besar
Perlis SeaPort FQC Lab
Sandakan FQC Lab
CUSTOMS
FQC Lab 1
Bukit Kayu 2 47 46 Kota Kinabalu AirPort
Tg. Lembung SeaPort
Hitam 33 45
4 LAN Kota Kinabalu SeaPort
Kedah FQC Lab 5 44
Labuan SeaPort
36 43
Bukit Kayu Hitam Tawau SeaPort
Warehouse 14 42
7
Internet Sandakan SeaPort
Langkawi Perlis 41
AirPort 8 1
Penang Sabah 40 Miri SeaPort
SeaPort
9 13 39 Kuching SeaPort
Butterworth Kedah
Sibu SeaPort
SeaPort
10 2
Sarawak 38
Bayang Lepas AirPort Pulau Pinang 12 37 Kuching AirPort
11 3 Sarikei
Penang FQC Lab
36 SeaPort
Perak MOH Virtual
12 35 Bintulu
Grik 4 Private Network Kelantan
13 Selangor 34 Tebedu
11 33 Sarawak FQC Lab
Selangor 14 5 Terengganu
Rantau Panjang
FQC Lab 32
N.Sembilan 10
Kelang West 15 Pahang 31 Pengkalan Kubu
SeaPort 6 Melaka
Johor 9
Bukit Bunga
Kelang North 16 7 30
SeaPort 8 Kelantan
29
FQC Lab
Kelang South 17
SeaPort
18 28 Terengganu
KL International 19 FQC Lab
AirPort Kelang Admin Office
Johor PH
Lab
21 27 Pahang
Melaka SeaPort 20 FQC Lab
Tg. Puteri 22 26 Kuantan
SeaPort
2nd Link 23
Tg. Pelepas
24 25 SeaPort
Legend Pasir Gudang
Total Number of Entry points : 34 FQC Office State SeaPort
Lab Warehouse
19 10 5 1 11 1 13
Sea Road Air
47. FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION SYSTEM OF MALAYSIA – FOOD IMPORTATION PROCESS
1. Registration
2. P n
re-
Im atio
5. G
ene port N tific
No
rat o rt
e Im otific Imp ENTRY POINT
at Ministry of Health ss tion
po
rt N ion (O ce ma
6. Pro n for
IMPORTERS / FORWARDING AGENTS
10. oti
fica ption le I
Fin al) mp
al D tio
n 7. Sa sio
n
eci eci
s io al D
n Fin
10.
Food Safety Information System of Malaysia
3. Import Declaration (K1) 9.
An
al y
s is INSPECTION / SAMPLING
Re
ion Recommends su
cis 7. lts
l De S am
na Examination Level pl 8. Sample for Analysis
.Fi e
10 In
fo
ce rm
rfa at
I nte io
n
K
SM
4. Transaction Knowledge Master
Database Database Database
CUSTOMS INFORMATION SYSTEM (SMK) Automated Examination Level LABORATORY
LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 LEVEL 4 LEVEL 5 LEVEL 6
AUTO DOCUMENT MONITORING SURVEILLANCE HOLD TEST & AUTO
CLEARANCE EXAMINATION EXAMINATION EXAMINATION RELEASE REJECTION
Inspection Action
48. EXAMINATION LEVELS
LEVEL 1 - AUTOMATIC CLEARANCE
LEVEL 2 – DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
- VERIFY NOTIFICATION INFORMATION
- MAY REQUEST FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
- PHYSICAL INSPECTION/EXAMINTATION IF
NECESSARY BEFORE RELEASE
LEVEL 3 – MONITORING EXAMINATION
- INSPECTION AND SAMPLING TO BE CARRIED
OUT ACCORDING TO SET TARGET.
(EG. 20% OF VEGETABLE PRODUCTS FROM
THAILAND NEED TO BE SAMPLED FOR
PESTICIDE)
LEVEL 4 – SURVEILLACNE EXAMINATION
- INSPECTION AND SAMPLING TO BE CARRIED
OUT ON PRODUCTS WHERE TARGET NOT SET
LEVEL 5 – HOLD TEST AND RELEASE
- DETAIN AND SAMPLE
LEVEL 6 – AUTO REJECTION
49. CONCLUSION
The challenges of food safety is immense and in this
time of increasing food safety concerns and
shrinking resources, there are both the opportunities
and the need to work together between the
government, food industry and consumers.
The leadership provided by the Ministry of Health
towards this end and the continuous improvement of
the food safety program will inevitably create better
strides towards the establishment of an effective and
efficient food safety program in the era of
globalisation.
50. Thank you
for
your attention
SAFE FOOD FOR ALL CAN BE ACHIEVED
THROUGH SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY