Penang Authorities Find Dead Rat In A Coffee & Tea Factory With Nationwide Distribution

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Investigators from the Food Safety and Quality Division (BKKM) of the Penang State Health Department (JKNPP) found that the factory's premises were in unsatisfactory conditions.

They also found a dead rat that was believed to have been there for three days. It was discovered in the storage unit of the store where products were ready to be packaged, reported Harian Metro.

Apart from the rat carcass, the factory was found to have committed various offences including the discovery of faeces as well as the cleanliness level of the factory, which does not meet the standards.

The factory, which has been operating for five decades, distributes coffee and tea products nationwide.

The closure order, effective today, is for two weeks under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983 for cleaning work, according to BKKM head health inspector Mohd Wazir Khalid.

Mohd Wazir said that during the raid, they also detected other offences. For instance, the equipment used did not comply with the set standards because some were made of stainless steel and some were of wood.

"The condition of the floor is also cracked and there is a water reservoir that we are worried will cause splashes on unpackaged beverage products, which can cause food contamination.

"The floor in the factory is also dirty and there is a water reservoir, so we are worried that its products are exposed to contamination," he said, adding that they have taken samples of tea products to analyse them.

He said that they have referred the matter to the relevant parties for further action.

The department issued the factory three compounds totalling RM5,000.

Of the three, two compounds were for employing workers who did not take their typhoid injections, and one compound was for not wearing proper personal protective equipment suits.