SHAH ALAM: All food and drink products, including raw and processed items, may in the near future require Scientific and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim) certification before they are marketed.
Sirim QAS International Sdn Bhd managing director Mohd Azanuddin Salleh said the company is considering extending its services to include certification for all kind of foods and drinks.
This, he said, is to ensure that the food items are of highest quality and meet the requirements of the international market and consumers.
“Currently, certification is offered for only some classes of food, such as sugar, flour, chilli sauce and instant noodles. People are concerned about what goes into the making of instant noodles.
“Hence, we included instant noodles under Sirim’s list of food items to be certified, which will be carried out as per our standard operating procedures.
“But (the number of edible items being tested for quality) is limited. Should there be demand, we will be glad to expand our list to include all food and drink products,” he told reporters at the Sirim Open Day, here today.
Azanuddin said this move would also combat the problem of counterfeit food products and ensure consumers get the quality they pay for.
Meanwhile, Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah said food items especially, need to be of quality and hopes Sirim will include this in their list.
“Many people today look for Sirim labels before buying any items. But for now, Sirim’s key focus is on hardware and electronic items.
“I hope there will come a time when traders need to ensure their food or drink products meet a certain requirement. For example, a RM1 banana needs to be of certain length or a ‘kuih keria’ has to be of a particular diameter.
“If the situation is critical and there is demand for it, where the public wants a standardised system to ensure quality and to tackle fake food items (such as the recent incident of fake baby formula sold in Johor), Sirim is ready to implement.
“We have the facilities, equipment and expertise,” he said, adding that Sirim accreditation meets international standards.
Abu Bakar also cited China’s import of the Musang King durian as an example. He said each durian needs to meet a set of requirements, including grade and place of cultivation or they will be rejected.
The one-day event also saw the launch of the Malaysian Reference Material Gold Standard (MyRM Gold).
Abu Bakar said MyRM Gold aims to ensure all gold purity measurement tools are based on the International System Unit to promote fair and equitable trade in Malaysia’s gold business.
Also launched was the Gold Hallmarking Certification Scheme based on international standard ISO/IEC 17067 that offers certificates to applicants to certify the purity of jewellery and gold bars sold in the market.
Abu Bakar, in his speech, said it was important for all gold purity tools in Malaysia to have traceability through a calibration by referring to MyRM Gold as the sole reference.
“At the moment, the system is optional. But if there is demand for it in the future, requesting all pawn shops, for instance, to meet the requirements, Sirim is ready to do so.”
Meanwhile, on plans to regulate the use of electronic cigarettes and vaping, Azanuddin said Sirim QAS is in the consultation stage with the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry to ensure the devices sold are not compromised.
“They (Sirim certified e-ciggies, vaporisers and e-liquids) are expected to be implemented by next year.”
It was reported that Mosti would develop standards for e-cigarettes batteries and devices and the packaging of nicotine-free, e-liquid and vapes under the Standards of Malaysia Act 1996.