Sabah too has temporarily suspended importation of Ayamas poultry
products following revelation by Sarawak’s veterinary authority that a
banned antibiotic was detected in a sample of the brand’s chicken
frankfurter.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk
Seri Yahya Hussin in confirming this yesterday said the Department of
Veterinary Services and Animal Industry Sabah (DOVSAI) had immediately
issued a directive to all operators in the state not to import and sell
some of the Ayamas products suspected to be contaminated.
“We have
taken the necessary precautionary measures, which is to ban the
products from being imported to Sabah,” he told reporters when asked
whether the ministry had received any call from worried consumers in the
state to take Ayamas products off the market.
Yahya, who did not
reveal the list of Ayamas products that were suspended, said the ban
would be enforced until the Ministry of Health had completed its
investigation and cleared the products in question.
He added that
apart from the federal ministry, the state had also conducted its own
sampling and inspection through DOVSAI to ensure that all the products
involved were free of any banned substances and safe for consumption.
“The
authorities are dealing with the issue and necessary actions have been
taken, including a thorough inspection of Ayamas products,” he said.
Reports
last week said Sarawak had issued an import ban on the brand and some
of its chicken products were taken out of supermarkets following a
detection of chloramphenicol.
Ayamas Food Corporation Sdn Bhd
however said it did not use the substance or any banned antibiotics in
its products and had expressed surprise over the suspension.
