In conjunction with the reopening of Ramadan bazaars nationwide this year, it is expected that the sale of breaking fast food activities will increase in line with the aim of reviving the country’s local economy. It is estimated that about 231 Ramadan bazaar locations can be found in the state of Selangor for this purpose. However, in the rapid sale of food in the bazaar, the Selangor State Health Department would like to remind food and beverage traders to always be sensitive to food safety elements. This is to prevent the occurrence of food poisoning which can lead to adverse effects on health if no immediate treatment is given.
The department informed that to ensure that the food sold at the Ramadan bazaar is always in a safe condition to eat, monitoring and inspection activities on food premises will be intensified. These monitoring and inspection activities will be carried out in collaboration with the Local Authority on a regular basis. In addition, the Selangor State Health Department will conduct food sampling, especially on high-risk foods such as coconut milk, meat, eggs, and others to ensure food safety for buyers.
The department has also called on Ramadan bazaar traders to ensure that every food handler involved in the sale should ensure that food handler training is attended and anti-typhoid injections are taken first. Traders are also advised to ensure the food supply is safe, maintain personal hygiene and sales areas as well as ensure there is no risk of cross-contamination.
The department has also reminded traders to ensure that the food sold should be prepared daily instead of heating up the leftover food that was not sold out on the previous days.
For beverage-based sales, traders are requested to ensure that the source of water supply must be from a safe source, while the source of ice supply must be from an ice factory licensed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. A list of licensed ice factories can be obtained through the Food Safety and Quality Division’s website, www.fsq.moh.gov.my. Water and ice handling must be in a clean, safe condition and free from the risk of chemical, physical and microbiological hazards. Water and ice storage containers must always be kept clean and not leaking.
To the shoppers in the Ramadan bazaar, it is advisable to use the purchasing power available by buying food from clean and safe food vendors.
The Selangor State Health Department encourages the concept of “Watch and Choose” to continue to be a practice before buying food. This concept encourages buyers to observe and select vendors who handle and sell food in a clean and safe condition before purchasing. Next, the practice of Seeing, Sniffing, and Taste Before Eating should be made a daily practice before enjoying food. If buying food for sahur, make sure the food bought at the Ramadan bazaar should be kept directly in the refrigerator and heated before eating during sahur.
