Thirty-eight food samples from Japan analysed to date, were found to conform to the radiation level allowed. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the samples included fish and fish products, vegetables and dairy products.
"The Health Ministry has imposed Level 5 inspection, that is, detain, test and release under the Food Safety Information System of Malaysia (FoSIM), at the country's entry points starting March 16 on all food imported from Japan."
Liow said this after launching the Golden Horses Health Sanctuary, New Health Screening and Preventive Medicine Centre in Seri Kembangan, near here, today.
He said imported food from Japan would only be allowed to be sold in the market if it conformed to the radiation level allowed. The ministry was working closely with all the relevant agencies including the National Nuclear Agency, Atomic Energy Licensing Board and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to ensure that all food from Japan went through stringent inspection in light of concerns over radiation.
It has been reported that several countries including Singapore, the United States, Australia, Canada and Russia have banned the import of food from several areas in Japan affected by abnormal levels of radiation.
Malaysia has instead chosen to take precautionary measures like conducting stringent screening of food imported from Japan to ensure they are safe for consumption.