Yellow noodles contain highest level of boric acid

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Yellow noodles contain the highest amount of boric acid at 70.4%, said the Health Ministry.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said in a recent statement that after yellow noodles is wantan noodles with 14.8% boric acid content, then koay teow, laksa, loh see fun and spring roll with 3.7% each.
Negri Sembilan recorded the highest percentage of boric acid misuse for food preservation, followed by Perak, Johor, Penang and Selangor.
A person who consumes food with a lot of boric acid could vomit, suffer from dysentery, dermatitis, kidney failure and damage to the blood vessels.
Boric acid is used to preserve wood in the furniture industry and is also used in medication.
The use of boric acid as a food preservative is banned in the country and those who flout this law can be fined up to RM100,000, jailed 10 years or both.
Dr Chua said the ministry launched a boric acid operation last year and of the 668 samples tested, 27 (4.04%) were found to contain the acid.
He said the ministry's enforcement division would launch a special operation throughout the country this month and next month to nab those who misuse boric acid.