Food safety and quality : a study of the existing legal and administrative regulations in Malaysia

Abstract

Food safety and quality is a major concern for states, consumers, food producers, manufacturers and regulatory authorities. It is concerned with ensuring that food available to consumers is safe for consumption. In Malaysia, food safety and quality is an increasingly important issue. Various factors such as improper use of pesticides, veterinary drugs, use of prohibited drugs such as nitrofuran, beta agonist, 3-MCPD in local sauces, physical contamination, microbiological contamination, heavy metal contamination and environment factor have caused severe food related diseases in this country. Food related outbreaks such as Dioxin contamination, bird flu, nipah virus (Febrile Encephalitis), Foot and Mouth Diseases and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) have brought about serious issues of public concern. The present study has shown that the problem of food safety and quality is somewhat a matter of permanent concern. Advances in knowledge, science and technology in food industries renders the food laws less effective. It is also identified that to ensure food safety and quality it requires more effort than mere enforcement of the existing legal provisions. Besides, to have a foolproof system that will eradicate the problems is almost impossible. The government and its agencies, in response to increasing number of food safety problems, are intensifying their efforts to improve food safety. Hence, strengthening and updating of legislation on food safety and quality throughout the food chain is essential in establishing effective food safety system. Besides, there is need to harmonize the national food standards, guidelines and codes of practice with the international and regional standards such as those adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in order to bridge the gap in the existing legal provisions and to facilitate global food trade. In addition, the food producers and manufacturers are expected to comply with the relevant food safety measures such as Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Good Animal Husbandry Practice (GAHP), Good Hygiene Practice (GHP), Good manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Aquaculture Practice (GaqP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System (HACCP) and many more. Although compliance with the practices is voluntary, it is identified that the programmes were able to help reduce the occurrence of potential food related outbreaks. For instance, the study identified that HACCP is proven internationally as an effective tool to prevent food related issues. The food industries should strive to establish the HACCP system. In addition, it is also identified that compliance with the various programmes such as GaqP), GMP, GAHP and GAP will help to reduce possible contamination of food. It seems therefore necessary that compliance with the programmes should be made mandatory. In addition, it is also the objective of this study to look into the problems, laws and regulations on halal food production in Malaysia.