Magazines Archives - 2009 May

More needs to be done in Malaysia
Story 7 - Focus

At the Oriental Group of Restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it is the job of Justin Hor Chee Keong, group executive chef and director, to safeguard food integrity. “We use reputable suppliers and never buy from the market,” he declares.

The group requires fresh seafood such as fish and crabs cleaned at source and properly refrigerated for transport at correct temperatures. Its fresh produce is directed to a receiving area where checks on refrigeration temperatures are carried out before the goods enter the kitchen.

The restaurants conduct regular pest control as well, and their food handlers are also inoculated against typhoid yearly as part of their annual medical check-up.

“We use a lot of cling wrap and proper trays for meat, seafood and vegetables,” Hor adds.

“We also use blast freezers with blowers, not old-fashioned freezers that result in a high bacteria count when the ice melts.”

The group does not import directly from China but lands its imports in neighbouring Singapore first for inspection. Its suppliers also carry Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certifications.

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