Food Vendor In Hot Water For Fly-Infested Kitchen & Selling Day-Old Fried Baby Crabs
The Jonker Walk vendor admitted to frying the crabs a day in advance and storing them for sale the following day.
A night market vendor in Jonker Walk, Melaka is under scrutiny after authorities discovered that he prepared and stored baby crabs in unsanitary kitchen conditions
The crabs, a popular snack known as crispy baby crab, were reportedly prepared in a kitchen infested with flies, with the floor and walls coated in grime.
The shocking discovery was made when officers from the Melaka Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) and the Melaka Immigration Department (JIM) conducted a raid at the vendor's kitchen in Malim.
They found crabs being fried in an environment that smelled of stale seafood, with unclean surfaces and fly infestations. They also discovered that the baby crabs intended for sale were left on the floor.
According to a reporter present during the raid, the fried crabs were left exposed, posing a significant risk of contamination from fly-borne diseases.
Additionally, a foul-smelling refrigerator was used to store supplies.
Image via Malaysia Gazette
The man, in his 30s, has admitted to frying the crabs a day in advance and storing them before selling them the next day
Officers discovered a large covered container filled with dozens of kilograms of pre-fried baby crabs, all prepared in advance for sale the following day.
"I usually fry these baby crabs today and store them in a container to sell tomorrow," he admitted to officers, revealing that even the crabs he intended to sell fresh that day were actually prepared the night before.
The enforcement team also seized over 85 packets of cooking oil and bags of wheat flour, which were stored without proper permits in violation of the Supply Control Act 1961.
The flour, according to the vendor, was used to make his "signature batter".
Image via Muhammad Shahizam Tazali/Kosmo!
The vendor, reportedly a foreign nation, now faces potential fines and further enforcement measures for health and safety violations
He also failed to present a permit for his stockpile of cooking supplies.
Authorities stated that such unsanitary practices not only pose health risks to customers but also jeopardise Melaka's reputation as a popular tourist destination.
Of late, there have been a number of cases involving unhygienic food practices:
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