Lessons From Us Food Scares For Malaysian Plates

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 Recent developments in the United States surrounding food safety, particularly the banning of Red Dye No 3 due to its link to cancer, have reignited global conversations on the dangers hidden in everyday foods.
The US Food and Drug Administration’s move reflects a growing concern not only about acute foodborne illnesses but also about chronic exposure to harmful additives and contaminants present in ultra-processed foods.
A growing body of research suggests strong correlations between these foods and serious health conditions, including various forms of cancer.
As the American food industry faces scrutiny for years of regulatory delays and health risks linked to consumer products, countries like Malaysia should treat these signals as an opportunity for self-reflection and reform.
In Malaysia, food safety concerns are more often associated with hygiene lapses and food poisoning incidents, especially in school canteens, bazaars, and roadside stalls.
However, the global food landscape is shifting, and our understanding of food safety must broaden to include risks that are less visible but equally dangerous.
Chemical additives, heavy metals, and long-term dietary exposure to ultra-processed ingredients are becoming central to the food safety debate.
Outdated framework
Malaysia’s regulatory framework, while structurally sound under the Food Act 1983, has not kept pace with these emerging threats.
The scope of food safety enforcement still largely revolves around microbial hazards rather than chemical and additive-related risks.
Unlike in the US, where public pressure and scientific advocacy eventually led to regulatory action, Malaysia lacks a similarly responsive mechanism for identifying and acting upon such long-term health threats.
One of the major weaknesses in Malaysia’s food safety system is the superficial nature of food handler certification and training. Current procedures often consist of short, one-time seminars without follow-up, enforcement, or continuing education.
This checkbox approach does little to ensure lasting competence or awareness of evolving food safety standards. Inconsistent inspections and fragmented enforcement across local authorities further erode the system’s effectiveness.
When basic hygiene is poorly enforced, expecting rigorous standards around chemical safety or traceability is a stretch.
The infamous fake halal meat scandal in Malaysia, which revealed decades-long fraud involving mislabelled and smuggled non-halal meats, is emblematic of deeper institutional problems.
Beyond the religious implications, the scandal exposed vulnerabilities in supply chain oversight, traceability, and regulatory integrity.
If authorities can overlook such large-scale fraud for years, it raises serious questions about the system’s ability to monitor more complex or technical food safety issues, such as adulterants or carcinogenic additives.
It also highlights a trust deficit between the public and regulatory bodies, one that undermines even well-intentioned policies.
Blindspot in small businesses
Compounding these issues is the lack of modern testing infrastructure and resource limitations, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Many local producers lack the means to conduct thorough food safety checks, and access to advanced laboratories or food testing technologies remains limited.
Without state support, SMEs may be pushed to cut corners, knowingly or unknowingly introducing risk-laden products into the market.
Moreover, regional disparities in enforcement create uneven levels of protection for consumers across different parts of the country.
The informal and semi-regulated segments of Malaysia’s food economy, like night markets, roadside stalls, and small eateries, pose another critical challenge.
These settings often fall outside the reach of rigorous inspections, despite being heavily relied upon by the public for affordable meals.
Food poisoning incidents in schools and bazaars continue to surface year after year, some with tragic consequences.
Learn from the US
Yet, these are just the visible symptoms of a wider systemic issue: a regulatory approach that is reactive, not preventive.
Malaysia can and must learn from the US experience. First, food safety must expand beyond microbial risks to encompass chemical exposures, additives, heavy metals, and long-term dietary patterns.
Regulatory agencies should begin evaluating and phasing out risky ingredients based on scientific evidence, as seen with Red Dye No 3.
Public health policies must be aligned with nutritional goals, discouraging the consumption of ultra-processed foods that carry compounded risks over time.
Consumer awareness campaigns, nutrition labelling reforms, and possible taxation of certain high-risk ingredients could help shift demand towards safer, minimally processed alternatives.
Second, Malaysia must invest in strengthening traceability and transparency in the food supply chain. Technology such as blockchain and AI can be harnessed to verify halal integrity, detect fraud, and enhance the traceability of food ingredients.
Digital traceability systems should not be limited to high-value exports but should also be embedded into domestic regulatory structures.
Strengthening institutional capacity, whistleblower protections, and inter-agency coordination are essential steps to restoring public confidence.
Third, the training and certification of food handlers must be upgraded. Certification should not be permanent without refreshers. Regular audits, performance assessments, and public grading systems can encourage better compliance.
Food safety education should also be introduced in school curricula to cultivate a generation of safety-conscious consumers and future food professionals.
Finally, SMEs need government support to meet safety standards. This includes subsidies for food testing, access to shared laboratories, and training programmes that help producers comply with national and international standards.
Rather than penalising small businesses post-violation, the state should incentivise compliance from the outset, enabling safer food production across the entire market.
The US experience has shown that delayed action on food safety can result in significant health consequences and public mistrust.
Malaysia has a narrow window of opportunity to evolve from a reactive system focused primarily on food poisoning and religious compliance to a proactive one that integrates scientific risk assessments, traceability, and nutrition into a holistic food safety strategy.
As consumers increasingly question what’s on their plate, it’s time for Malaysian policymakers to ask the same before the next scandal or health crisis forces the issue. - Mkini
R PANEIR SELVAM is the principal consultant of Arunachala Research & Consultancy Sdn Bhd, a think tank specialising in strategic national and geopolitical matters.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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