Food export company fined RM21,000 for using banned sweeter in products
KUCHING (June 23): A food export company was today fined RM21,000 by the Magistrates' Courts here for seven offences under the Food Regulations 1985.
Magistrates Ling Hui Chuan and Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan imposed the fines after the company's representative pleaded guilty to the charges in two separate courts.
The accused was fined RM3,000 for each charge, amounting to a total fine of RM21,000, by the Magistrates' Court.
According to the facts of the case, samples of the preserved food products from the company were collected and sent for analysis on Nov 29, 2024.
The analysis revealed that the samples contained cyclamate, a non-nutritive sweetener prohibited in food under Regulation 133(3) of the Food Regulations 1985.
This regulation states that no person shall import, prepare, advertise for sale, or sell any food to which a non-nutritive sweetener has been added, except as otherwise permitted by the same regulation.
Prosecuting Officer Mohd Fairos Ibrahim, from the Inspectorate and Legal Unit of the Kuching Divisional Health Office, informed the court during proceedings that cyclamate is an artificial sweetener commonly used in low-calorie food and beverages as a sugar substitute.
'Its sweetness is 30 to 50 times greater than sugar, making it a popular choice in products such as soft drinks, sweets, and sugar-free sweetened foods.
'The use of cyclamate in food is strictly regulated and is not permitted in fresh fruit, including peeled or ready-to-eat fruit. Long-term excessive consumption may pose health risks and is associated with an increased risk of cancer,' he said.
The prosecution requested that the accused be given an appropriate sentence as a deterrent.
In addition, the sentence is intended to serve as a warning not only to the accused but also to other importers, reminding them to exercise caution when importing food into Malaysia and to take necessary steps before allowing samples to enter the country. Court crime food exporter food products
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