Food sampling Activity

Venue: Grocery shop
Today our group had the privilege to come along with En Elan and Pak Lang to just have an idea about what they do during food sampling.

The food samples are required to be at least 250g each, from the same batch (serial number), same packaging. 3 packs are chosen for each type of food item. 1 for the owner, 1 for the chemistry labs, and 1 for the Food sampling Unit.
The ones sampled are usually from lesser known brands because the better established brands usually comply with the requirements set.

For today, their initial plan was to obtain samples of coffee (foreign matter, percentage of coffee), tea (colouring), oyster sauce and dry food.
Some points to be taken note of include the label, ingredients, expiry date and in canned food, dents.

The items chosen so far

The owner calculating and preparing the receipt for the sold products.

Filling in the form required

A copy of the form for each product. Details filled in include the designated sample serial number (by the food sampling unit), name of the food product and date.
The serial number of the form as well as the sample is essential for reference if the case is brought to the court.
Analyzing the sample serial number:
PT means Padang Terap, 12 means 2012, and 045 is the 45th sample taken by the unit for that year. 

The form being sealed tightly to the product with cellophane tape

This red sticker is very very fragile and placed so as to prevent tampering of the item.

Placed at multiple places that can possibly be opened

Placed at both sides of the form

Helping them out with the packaging

Another set of helping hands are always welcome =)

The receipt given by the shop owner with details of the food items, shop owner, IC number (not in this picture), cop, receipt serial number.

All of the items, with the form, stickers.

One of each item is placed in a plastic bag --> 3 plastic bags.
Red sticker to prevent tampering/opening of the plastic bag.

Later, we went back to the DHO, where we were further briefed.

The fridge is used to store the antityphoid vaccines.

Antityphoid vaccines

Control (however no longer used)

Cool box to store the food samples

To keep the control

Soap for hand washing, spoons, forks for the food.

Whrl Pak, Scoops, cotton wool.

The kit brought to food sampling activities for cooked food.
At the side, weighing scales.

Spirit for disinfecting utensils

Red sticker at both sides of the form, at the 

The filled Whrl-Pak, labelled, closed.

Whrl-Pak

Health enforcement uniform

Placed together in the cool box

Control

Chinese paper to wrap vegetables sampled

Black plastic bag to store meat

Food handler course kit

List of items for microbiological sampling

Residu racun perosak- analyzed parameters

Food stuffs requiring dates to be marked.

Example of microbiological report

-karen tan and adrian choong-