Gardenia says products pass safety tests after food poisoning claims

 The breadmaker says independent tests found its products safe, while health ministry officials are satisfied with safety practices at its factory.

Gardenia Bakeries (KL) Sdn Bhd said health ministry officers inspected its factory today as part of an investigation into the complaints. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Gardenia Bakeries (KL) Sdn Bhd says its products have passed independent safety tests and health ministry officers are satisfied with its factory’s safety practices, following a claim that children fell ill after eating its bread and cakes.

Gardenia said tests by an accredited independent laboratory confirmed that the products in question met food safety standards.

It said health ministry officers also inspected its factory today as part of an investigation into the complaints.

“The health ministry was satisfied with our standard operating procedures (SOPs) and food safety practices,” it said in a statement.

The checks followed a social media post by a woman who claimed her sons fell ill after eating Gardenia Original Classic White Bread and Twiggies Choc-A-Lot.

The claim prompted the health ministry to launch an investigation on Sunday, with officers collecting leftover products and packaging from the complainant for testing.

The ministry had said some batch numbers and expiry dates were missing, making it difficult to trace the products. It also cautioned that Gardenia’s earlier internal checks could not determine what caused the reported illnesses.

Gardenia previously said it met the customer in question and took the bread for analysis. It said there had been no changes to its recipes and that food safety SOPs would continue to be enforced.

The company did not say whether the products tested by the independent laboratory were from the same batches involved in the complaints. The health ministry has yet to announce the results of its own laboratory tests. - FMT