Fined for selling salt with less iodine

Kota Kinabalu: A sundry shop here was fined RM2,500 or two months jail for selling iodised coarse salt that contained much less iodine from the minimum rate set under the Food Regulations 1985.

Ghulam Superstore represented by its owner pleaded guilty before Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles to selling three packets of (three kilogrammes) of iodised coarse salt under the brand Cap Kuda Laut which only contained 15 mg/kg iodine that was less than the minimum rate set under Regulation 285(1A) of the Food Regulations 1985.

According to the said Regulation, iodised table salt or iodised salt shall contain potassium iodide or iodate, or sodium iodide or iodate equivalent to not less than 20 mg/kg and not more than 40 mg/kg of iodine.

The offence was committed at the Ghulam Superstore, Jalan Datu Mardan in Kota Belud at 10.30am on July 28, 2020.

The shop committed an offence under Section 13B(2)(e) of the Food Act 1983 which is punishable under Section 13B(4) of the same Act which provides for a fine of up to RM20,000 or a jail term of up to five years on conviction.

The shop representative requested for a lenient sentence on the grounds that since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented, their business was not so good and that he stopped selling such salt after the shop was inspected.

Prosecuting officer from the Health Department Kelvindiran Ularkanazan applied for an appropriate sentence.

He submitted that the shop committed an offence by selling iodine salt for human consumption that did not comply with the standards allowed under the Food Act which was less than 20 mg/kg.

“All salts sold in the country must comply with the standard stated in the Food Act which is 20–40 mg/kg,” said Kelvindiran, adding that lack of iodine in salt can cause health repercussion to the consumers especially on children of which the effect is mumps.