Ministry to probe ‘kitchen drug’ claim

Star: PENANG: The Health Ministry will investigate a claim by the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) that paracetamol, an oral painkiller, is being widely used in restaurants to soften meat.
Parliamentary secretary to the ministry Datuk Lee Kah Choon said it would investigate the claim although it had never received reports that paracetamol was being used as a cheaper alternative to commercially available meat tenderisers.
“I have never heard of such a practice but we will investigate this serious allegation,” he told newsmen after opening CAP's Health Exhibition at the Penang Hospital foyer yesterday.
Lee said the ministry viewed such allegations seriously because the extensive use of paracetamol could lead to multiple organ failure.”
CAP president SM Mohd Idris had earlier claimed that some cooks used paracetamol to make meats tender as it was a cheaper alternative.
CAP also urged the Government to ban the sales of products with high sugar content in school canteens and organise an anti-sugar campaign.
Lee said he would forward CAP's concerns to the Education Ministry, as “there is an urgent need to create awareness of the dangers of consuming too much sugar.”