Food Safety Management in Malaysia: Issues and Prevention

Abstract

The word pathogen is referred to the bacteria, virus or parasite that contaminate food and cause foodborne illness. Foodborne illness can be serious, and in certain cases, it became fatal. It harms not only humans but also the economical environment of a country. Foodborne illness has become a global issue. It affected almost all countries worldwide, including well-developed countries. However, the risks caused by foodborne illness can be reduced by knowing and practicing food safety management behaviours. Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) stated that “food safety is the assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared and eaten according to its intended useage. Food safety can be described as a nutritious food that is clean in physical, chemical and microbiological aspects. This article reviewed the previous literature regarding the issues. Several factors are causing food contamination and lead to the spread of foodborne illness in Malaysia. It is important to identify the factors to prevent foodborne illness. These factors threaten the safe consumption of the food and make the food harmful to humans. Therefore, this article will discuss food safety management issues in Malaysia and recommend some prevention strategies against foodborne illness in Malaysia.