Asid Borik bahaya sebagai pengawet makanan

Asid Borik bahaya sebagai pengawet makanan

 

What is boric acid and it's use?

Boric acid (H3BO3) is an antiseptic, pesticide and a weak fungicide. It always be used for insect control, wood preservative in furniture industry, glass industry and also in medical field.

What is preservative?

Preservative means any substances that, when added to food, is capable of inhibiting, retarding or arresting the process of decomposition, fermentation or acidification of such food shall not include herb, spice, vinegar or wood smoke.

What are the preservative that allowed in Food Regulations 1985?

Food Regulations 1985 had listed preservatives (sulphur dioxide, benzoic acid; propionic acid, also its sodium, potassium, calcium salt; sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate and potassium nitrite) and antimicrobial (chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide) which are allowed in certain food. Boric acid is not included in the list.

What is the offence of using boric acid in foods as stated in Food Law (Food Act)?

Boric acid usage as preservative is prohibited as in Malaysian Food Act 1983 and Food Regulation 1985.

What is the penalty under the Food Act 1983?

Sub Section 13 (1) Food Act 1983 stated that "Any person who prepares or sell any food that has in or upon it any substance which is poisonous, harmful or otherwise injurious to health commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or to both".

What are the foods that always contain boric acid?

Foods that contain boric acid are pasta type of food for example yellow noodles, kueh teow, laksa, loh se fun, wantan noodles, Hokkien noodles, bee hoon, spring roll wrappers and bak chang.

What are the side effects if boric acid present in food?

·         MOH continuously conducts monitoring of foods which are at risk of Aflatoxin contamination and to ensure that it is below permitted level and safe for consumption.

·         MOH is continuously doing research on Aflatoxin related food. Moreover MOH always keep abreast of development in Aflatoxin research by international agencies such as Codex, FAO, WHO, USDA and others.

What is the permitted level of Aflatoxin in food?

Individuals who ate food that contained high level of boric acid will experience nausea, vomiting diarrhea, dermatitis, abnormal function of kidney, acute dysfunction of blood circulation and death, depends to the level of boric acid absorbed by the body.

How to detect the presence of boric acid in the foods?

Analysis using turmeric water is a crude test to detect the presence of boric acid, however the test is not a confirmatory test. It can give a false positive result. In mee processing for example, additional of soda water (Natrium bicarbonate) have been used to get the expected texture. The reaction between soda water and turmeric can cause a changing of color from yellow to red. However, the color changing to red is not an approvement to detect the present of boric acid in food. The presence of boric acid can only be confirm through lab analysis.

What is the accepted level of boric acid in food?

The presence of boric acid is totally not allowed in food or food product. The presence of boric acid in food or food product is due to unethical attitude of some food producer in which they only think about profit without considering the safety aspect of food to the consumer. Boric acid is used by these food producers to extend the product shelf-life and its freshness.

Advise to consumers

Consumers are advised not to use turmeric water as a test to verify the presence of boric acid. Consumers are required to report to the nearest Health Department incase of doubt pertaining to boric acid contamination.

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8 kali denda tapi tak serik

Oleh NOOR HASLIZA NUSI
hasliza.nusi@kosmo.com.my

GEORGE TOWN - Seorang pemilik kilang memproses makanan di Jelutong di sini tidak serik walaupun telah lapan kali didenda atas kesalahan sama menggunakan bahan pengawet asid borik dan asid benzoik dalam produk makanan yang dikeluarkan sejak lima tahun lalu. Semalam, tertuduh Gooi Soon Chye, 45, iaitu pemilik kilang Teoh Guan Hup Food Stuff Industries buat kali kesembilan dijatuhi hukuman denda atas kesalahan menggunakan bahan pengawet itu oleh Mahkamah Majistret Balik Pulau di sini. Soon Chye mengaku bersalah atas keenam-enam pertuduhan terhadapnya kerana menggunakan asid borik dan asid benzoik dalam produk makanan keluaran kilangnya. Majistret Mohd. Firdaus Abdul Wahab kemudian menjatuhi hukuman denda sebanyak RM22,500 terhadap enam kesalahan itu dan penjara 22 bulan jika tertuduh gagal menjelaskan denda tersebut. Mengikut pertuduhan, kilang tersebut didakwa menggunakan bahan pengawet asid borik dan asid benzoik ketika menghasilkan mee kuning, kuey teow, hor fun dan bee tai bak. Tertuduh didakwa mengikut Seksyen 13B(2)(d) Akta Makanan 1983 (Pindaan 2002) dan dihukum mengikut Seksyen 13B(4) akta sama yang membawa hukuman maksimum penjara lima tahun atau denda RM20,000 atau kedua-duanya sekali jika sabit kesalahan.