BUTTERWORTH: The Penang Health Department sealed off an ice factory in Prai, near here, recently after it was found to be unhygienic.
The errant factory operator was booked under Section 32B of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.
The department’s deputy director (security and food quality division) Ku Nafishah Ku Ariffin said it was also operating without a licence from the department for more than 10 years.
She said the operator was given 14 days, from Oct 28, to clean up his premises and renew his licence before he is allowed to resume operations.
“Although the operator has business permits from the local authority, the licence from our department is crucial to operate an ice factory,” she said after a statewide clampdown on ice factories on Tuesday.
She said under Section 34 of the Food Act 1983 regulation 394A(4), all ice factories were required to apply for a licence from the department.
Sixty-five officers from various departments, including the two local authorities, were involved in day-long exercise to check on 20 factories.
Ku Nafishah said the Prai factory had 31 health-check points based on the department’s list of requirements and specifications, well below the 65-point “passing” mark.
She said, of the remaining 19 factories, nine were issued with a RM2,500 compound each for dirty conditions, while the rest were issued reminders.
Ku Nafishah said the officers spotted numerous health code violations during their checks.
They included improper attire by the workers and failure by the factory operators to ensure that their employees had undergone health screenings.
She said the department would continue to conduct spot checks on ice factories, eateries and food processing outlets.
“Besides safe and hygienic food preparation and processing, the premises must be clean and they must observe the highest standards of hygiene,” she said. By Muhamad Syakir Abdul Wahab