Health Dept tells eateries to buck up on hygiene

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Dr Zulkifli Jantan

SIBU: Eateries will be asked to close if they are found to be unhygienic in their food preparation and handling.

Saying it was for the good of diners, the state Health Department pointed out that they would only be allowed to resume business after making necessary and satisfactory improvements.

“The Health Department together with the local councils carry out regular inspections on food outlets to ensure they maintain a high standard of hygiene and cleanliness.

“We want to ensure that food are prepared in a hygienic and clean environment to keep food poisoning at bay,” the department’s state director Dr Zulkifli Jantan said.

Asked on the scope of inspection, he revealed it covered storage, preparation, handling, cooking, utensils, staff hygiene and surrounding.

“If not satisfactory, outlets can be closed until improvements have been satisfactorily carried out,” added Dr Zulkifli.

Meanwhile, Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) Market and Petty Traders Standing Committee chairman councillor Chieng Buong Toon disclosed yesterday they had instructed four food outlets at the Central Market here to temporarily cease operating until improvements had been made.

Generally, he said, food operators had been most cooperative and doing the necessary to improve their level of hygiene and cleanliness.

Councillor Chieng Buong Toon

“But sadly, four stalls have been given a D grade, necessitating them to immediately close for business to carry out rectifications. We have highlighted to them the areas that they need to improve on.

“Our team will inspect them again to ensure that improvements have been made satisfactorily before they are permitted to resume business,” Chieng said.

He, however, was pleased to note the marked improvement in the second round of assessment which began early this month, compared to the preliminary round held in May.

“A total of 145 food stalls were assessed for their level of cleanliness and hygiene before being graded accordingly. In the first round, 26 stalls were graded D but had since improved with only four this time around.

“The best thing is that there are stalls graded A where there was none previously,” he related.

Asked on the grading system, he explained that those graded A would be assessed annually while B, every six months and those graded C would be assessed once every two months.

“Don’t wait until assessment is around the corner to upkeep the place or adopt good hygiene and clean food preparation measures.

“This is because we can conduct a surprise check anytime,” he advised, adding that the grading system was introduced to help eatery operators.

Chieng revealed that they were also getting the eatery operators in the Central Market to provide a cup of hot water for diners to sterilise eating utensils.