INTERACTIVE: Food poisoning incidents on the rise after pandemic

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians love to eat, so this may be tough to swallow: food poisoning cases are back with a vengeance after seeing a big drop during the pandemic.

Cases are now more common, with 51 incidents recorded for every 100,000 people in Malaysia last year – more than double the rate of 18.4 incidents in 2021.

Such was based on data from the Health Ministry made available to The Star.

Malaysia’s food poisoning incidence rates took a dive in 2020 and 2021, when the movement control order (MCO) was put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The MCO, which began on March 18, 2020, was lifted in stages up to early January 2022.

Bad food handling to blame

When contacted, the Health Ministry said the spike in food poisoning cases coincided with the lifting of the MCO.

Top factors that led to food poisoning incidents were cross-contamination, and improper thawing and cooking practices, based on its investigations.

“Cross-contamination (bacteria transferring from one substance to another) is caused by poor or inadequate food-handling practices from food handlers.

“We urge all to have proper food-handling practices like washing hands, separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, and maintaining clean and sanitised utensils and surfaces,” the ministry said.

Another possible reason for the spike could be restaurants struggling with the lack of workers post-pandemic, said Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) research officer Hatijah Hashim.

“Perhaps the lack of manpower has led eateries to neglect cleanliness standards,” she said.

On the drop in cases in 2020, the ministry said it could be related to the restrictions in the MCO when people stayed home and reduced dining out – this cut potential exposure to contaminated food prepared outside the home.

“At the same time, more people may have turned to cooking at home during the lockdown, allowing them to have better control over food-handling and hygiene practices,” the ministry said.

Although they occur less frequently than food poisoning, other food and water borne diseases – typhoid, dysentery and Hepatitis A – also saw spikes in case numbers from 2020 to 2022.

Only cholera cases recorded a drop in incidence rates from 2020 to 2022, based on data from the Compendium of Environment Statistics by the Statistics Department.

Labuan, Terengganu and Melaka are top 3

In 2022, Labuan topped the list as the state with the highest incidence rate of food poisoning.

The federal territory recorded 105.4 incidents for every 100,000 population, followed by Terengganu with 84.9 and Melaka with 79.5 incidents.

All states and territories recorded an increase in food poisoning cases from 2021 to 2022, except for Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

In these areas, the rate dropped from 42.6 to 27.2 incidents per 100,000 population in 2022.

Food poisoning can be fatal

A case in Terengganu caught media attention after a 54-year-old woman died of suspected food poisoning in December.

She reportedly suffered symptoms of food poisoning from eating a sandwich she bought at the Perasing rest and recreation (R&R) area in Kemaman, Terengganu.

“The Kemaman District Health Office has investigated the premises involved, with food samples, swabs of equipment and food handlers being taken to be analysed.

“Laboratory results show that there were violations under the Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations 1985. Legal action is being taken against the food operators involved,” the ministry said.

Commenting on the case, Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said the association was saddened by the incident.

She said in certain cases, food poisoning can be serious or even life-threatening.

“Some people with food poisoning may require hospitalisation.

In some severe cases, it can even lead to meningitis, kidney damage, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (a disease that affects the kidneys and blood clotting functions), arthritis as well as brain and nerve damage,” Dr Azizan said.

She advised people to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms of food poisoning like diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or fever were severe.

“Do not delay seeing a doctor if you have blood in the stool or high fever at 38°C and above.

“Other serious symptoms are feeling dehydrated like having a dry mouth and throat, significantly reduced urination frequency, or feeling dizzy when standing up,” she said.

More cases come to light

An increase in food poisoning incidents and unsanitary eateries was also reported to the National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC).

“We received more than double the number of complaints about food safety, poisoning and cleanliness.

“From 11 cases in 2022, it went up to 27 last year,” said NCCC senior manager Saral James Maniam, adding that the actual numbers were bigger as many cases of food poisoning often go unreported.

“The increase in complaints we received could be due to more consumers being aware of their rights and wanting to seek compensation for their plight,” she said.

Recalling a severe case, Saral said a family of 12 who ate at a restaurant in Melaka had to seek treatment at a clinic after experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea.

“Seven of them, including one child, fell sick after dining at the restaurant,” she added.

Other cases involved unsanitary premises and unsavoury “discoveries” in food like maggots found in chicken, and dead flies in dishes.

Here are several recent incidents that were highlighted in the media:

Address the spike

To tackle the rising cases, the ministry said it was conducting regular checks and enforcement on food premises, while educating consumers through social media on how to prevent food poisoning.

It said all employers must hire food handlers who have undergone Food Handler Training and have been medically examined and vaccinated, under Regulation 11 of the Food Hygiene Regulation 2009.

“The failure of the employer to do so and the failure of the food operator to comply with all these requirements is an offence, which can be punished with a fine of up to RM10,000 or jail time of up to two years,” it said.

Currently, the ministry has a platform for the public to lodge complaints on unhygienic food premises through its Sistem Pengurusan Aduan Awam (SISPAA) Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia at moh.spab.gov.my

“This complaint platform allows users to report incidents by providing detailed information about food premises.

“Such information is crucial for the authorities to conduct thorough investigations and take appropriate action,” it added.

NCCC’s Saral proposed that the ministry created a WhatsApp hotline so that the people can quickly and easily report cases of food safety and poisoning.

“It could be similar to the WhatsApp number where the public can report those who smoke in public places that have been declared no-smoking zones.

“This will enable quick action to be taken against eateries with unsanitary practices or conditions,” she added.

CAP’s Hatijah urged consumers to raise their standards and stop giving business to places with poor hygiene standards.

“This is one of the most effective ways we can pressure food sellers to buck up on their practices,” she said.