Health Minister Denies Low Quality Pork Claims

MALAYSIA - The Health Ministry has denied that imported pork is of low quality.
calendar icon 25 October 2010
clock icon 3 minute read

Imported pork is safe for consumption, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

According to The Star, he added that there was no “rubbish pork“ contained in imported pork from samples taken from border entry points and local sources.

“Pork imported into this country is found to be safe as verified through the Food Safety Information System of Malaysia (FoSIM),“ Minister Liow said after launching the 13th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease International Friday.

He was responding to a report in Sin Chew Daily on Friday of low quality “rubbish pork“ .

Minister Liow said the FoSIM revealed that 5,812.4 metric tonnes of pork worth more than RM35mil had been imported from several countries and that the authorities controlled the issuance of import permit given to exporters.

On the use of beta-agonist, from 2009 to July this year, 629 pork meat samples had been analysed and the results showed that 38 samples of the imported meat and 591 samples of local meat did not contain the substance.

On another matter, Minister Liow also said that Malaysia did not import the recently recalled Paris Creek Cheese Norwegino, Paris Creek Cheese Gouda, Paris Creek Cheese Tilsit and Paris Creek Cheese Cheddar.

The cheese produced by B.-d Paris Creek Ltd in Southern Australia, were recalled in Singapore and Australia after they were discovered to be contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes, he said.

“We have contacted the company in Australia and its representative informed us that Malaysia is not involved,“ he said, adding that the Ministry had verified this through the FoSIM monitoring system and checks at border entry points.

Minister Liow said the Ministry had imposed certification on Listeria monocytogenes be produced by exporters on all cheese since 1 July 2008.

“Of the 44 cheese samples we collected, none contained Listeria monocytogenes,“ he said.

Food contaminated by the bacteria could cause high fever, severe headache and stiff neck and nausea, Minister Liow added.

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