Our wellness is predominantly associated with our diet but while eating right is important, food hygiene bears equal importance, if not more. Maintaining hygiene standards is essentially a given requirement of operating any food outlet but sadly we continue to read or even witness premises operating under deplorable conditions, where overall aspects of hygiene is compromised.

While the recently highlighted cases of nasi kandar outlets and bakery operators operating under questionable hygiene standards is alarming, it is even more shocking that these incidents occurred at premises operated by reputable brand owners, of whom consumers would have expected benchmark standards.

While there are many such occurrences, often only a handful of cases gets highlighted. Issues of foreign substances in food, rundown premises, personal hygiene of waiters, unclean kitchen and pests infestation are more often than not conveniently swept under the carpet. It sometimes puzzles us when asked, when do 24-hour restaurant operators clean their premises? Or where do the likes of stall and moving food premises obtain sufficient water supply to cook or clean?

In a nutshell, retailers associated to the food business, regardless of scale, have a responsibility to comply with food hygiene standards. This entails strict compliance with the Malaysia Food Hygiene Regulations 2009. Hygiene practices must prevail across the food supply chain, from preparation to consumption and those who are caught violating rules must be hauled up and punished while premises of repeated offenders must be shut down permanently.

Rules and regulations are drafted to protect consumers and not to be compromised. Food operators must calculate risk of non-compliance and not blame the enforcers or the government for their own lapse in case a shutdown order is imposed.

On the other hand, while we as consumers know that consuming contaminated food can have severe or even fatal consequences, yet we continue to patronise outlets with questionable hygiene standards.

Let’s be cautious and not be deceived by a widespread of delicacies that appear to be clean. Observe overall hygiene practices of premises including individuals who serve you your meals. Adopt a proactive attitude, name and shame the premises which compromise hygiene standards.

Let’s act in solidarity and send a message to food operators that compromised food hygiene could be a pricey affair!

DARSHAN SINGH DHILLON is president, Malaysia Consumers Movement (MCM).