Food EN – Page 11 – Consumers Association Penang

Temporary Egg Subsidies Welcome, But Broader Food Security Issues Must Be Addressed

Lai Cheng June 20, 2024 0 Comments

The government's initiative to subsidize egg prices should be viewed as a temporary measure, given that long-term subsidies are not sustainable. The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) supports efforts to lower food prices but urges the government to address Malaysia’s deeper, long-standing food security challenges. Malaysians consume over 940 million eggs per month, making eggs a vital...

BE-E THANKFUL TO THIS SMALL INSECT WITH A BIG SACRIFICE

Lai Cheng June 18, 2024 0 Comments

Bees are tiny heroes. Do you know: The honeybee is responsible for nearly a third of crop pollination (a wide range of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oilseeds). They also produce 6 hive products — pollen, honey, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis, and venom. These are all collected and used for nutritional and medical purposes by humans. Bee populations have been declining globally over recent...

Microplastics Stay in the Body and Are Harmful

Lai Cheng June 5, 2024 0 Comments

Microplastics that are consumed, mostly through seafood, stay in the body and could negatively affect human health, say environmental experts. Environment and waste management expert Dr Theng Lee Chong said scientists have found that the interaction of microplastics in human bodies mostly through ingestion and inhalation can produce various kinds of toxicity, depending on the types of...

Malaysians Eat the Most Microplastics Out of 109 Countries

Lai Cheng June 5, 2024 0 Comments

Malaysia ranks the highest among 109 countries in consuming microplastics, which are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, a recent study found. The study, published in the Environmental Science and Technology journal, found that Malaysians eat an average of 502.3 mg of microplastics daily per capita. The report noted that more than 50% of Malaysia’s microplastic consumption was from fish...

FRUITS HAVE PROTEIN TOO

Lai Cheng June 4, 2024 0 Comments

Mention fruit and we think of health-giving antioxidants and fibre. But do you know: fruits have protein too. Although not commonly consumed for their protein content – they provide less protein than vegetables, beans, nuts, and other high protein foods; hence they don't fall under the category of high-protein foods – fruits can add additional protein to your diet, every little bit counts....

WHAT THE DATE LABELS ON YOUR FOOD ACTUALLY MEAN

Lai Cheng June 4, 2024 0 Comments

Most of us would check the dates on a packaged food before making a decision on whether to keep or toss it out. But do you know: Dates on food labels are the manufacturers’ best guess about how long a food will taste freshest; after that date, the quality gradually declines. Most date labels tell you about a food's quality, not safety, US food experts say. “There is nothing concrete for...

Ministry of Health bans sale of two types of spice products from India

Lai Cheng May 31, 2024 0 Comments

The Health Ministry has issued an order to stop the sale of two spice products from India suspected of containing ethylene oxide, an active ingredient in detergents. "Any traders, including online traders, who have stocks of these products are directed to stop the sale of the related products. "All e-commerce platforms and social media are requested to immediately cease advertisements for these...

Lack of recognition of farmers’ rights by Malaysian government is worrying

Lai Cheng May 31, 2024 0 Comments

The following statement released by the Malaysian Food Sovereignty Forum is endorsed by 34 Malaysian organisations – including Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia. We refer to the response of the Government of Malaysia1 to the communication document issued by Michael Fakhri2 , the Special Rapporteur on The Right to Food regarding the proposal for Malaysia to join the 1991...

CAP: Halt the sale of spices from India

Lai Cheng May 24, 2024 0 Comments

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) calls upon the Health Ministry to immediately ban the sale of two brands of spices from India (Everest and MDH) which were found to contain ethylene oxide a cancer-causing agent. The two affected brands of spices are widely available in Malaysia, especially on e-commerce platforms. The affected brands of spices are exported to many regions including the...

CAP: Don’t sacrifice health and lives of the people at the altar of company profits

Lai Cheng May 9, 2024 0 Comments

We refer to the recent news report that the Penang authorities have rejected CAP’s proposal to restrict the hours of operation for 24-hour restaurants and eateries. Penang State government executive councillor Jason M.L. H’ng stated CAP’s proposal will “not only disrupt worker livelihoods but also lead to a domino effect on the economy”. He didn’t explain how. It is strange that the...

Consumers Association Penang

Category: Food EN