The Ministry of Health has taken to Facebook to announce a list of food products that have been mixed with scheduled poison such as sildenafil, tadalafil, dexamethasone and prednisolone.
The Food Safety & Quality Division from the Ministry of Health has done an examination of food items in the market to check for the presence of poison starting from 2019 till October 2020. Out of 849 products that they have analysed, they found that 21 food products from 16 brands contain those poisons as mentioned above.
Under Section 13 of the Food Act 1983, any person who prepares or sells any food that has in or upon it any substance which is poisonous, harmful or otherwise injurious to health, commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding RM100,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or both.
Legal actions have been taken against four of the manufacturers. However, investigations have shown that the other 14 brands have put fake addresses. Ministry of Health is now giving a warning to sellers online who still have stocks from the brands to not sell or distribute it. They will need to call the state health departments.
If any consumers have consumed the products, they are advised to seek medical help from health professionals. The ministry also warns people to be careful when buying food products that might be mixed with illegal substances.
The ministry says that all food items sold should be in accordance with Food Acts 1983 and all the rules under it. If found not abiding by the law, actions will be taken against the factory, the packager, the supplier, marketing agents and sellers.
If you feel suspicious towards any food products in the market then you can call your state’s health department, file a complaint here or contact them on Facebook.
These are the products as listed by the Ministry of Health:
