Malaysia adheres to European Union’s level of 25% TPC for oil, says Liow

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia follows international standards for the quality of cooking oil, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.
He said the country adhered to the European Union's level of 25% Total Polar Compound (TPC).
The TPC is used largely to measure the quality of the oil and does not necessarily indicate how safe it is for consumption, he added.
Liow said the ministry would, however, go after offenders who have been distributing and selling recycled cooking oil as new to members of the public at grocery stores and supermarkets.
“We can take action under the Food Act 1983. We are very serious about this. We don't want anything hazardous to enter the market,” he said when asked to comment on an expose by The Star yesterday, which quoted experts as claiming that 19 brands of cooking oil sold in 1kg packets were found to have been made from recycled cooking oil obtained from hotels and restaurants.
They said the oil, if used repeatedly, could lead to hypertension, liver damage andcould potentially be carcinogenic in nature.
Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman urged the public to not be alarmed over the issue, adding that the ministry's officers were constantly monitoring the situation, including checking the entire supply chain in the production of cooking oil.
He noted that the purity of cooking oil needed to be measured using the various analysis parameters set under the Food Regulations 1985 and does not hinge purely on TPC.
“Every manufacturer must be registered and have a food safety system in place as required under the Food Cleanliness Regulations 2009.
“The Health Ministry will make sure the raw materials used, post-harvesting, transportation, manufacturing, packaging and sale are placed under control,” he added.
Dr Hasan said in a statement that laboratory tests done by the ministry found that TPC levels in cooking oil remained below the maximum permissible level even after it was used 40 times for frying.
Meanwhile, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has offered to help the Health Ministry run tests on the 19 brands of cooking oil allegedly made from recycled cooking oil.
His deputy Datuk Tan Lian Hoe said the Malaysian Palm Oil Board was responsible for issuing licences to recycled-oil manufacturers for products that are not used for human consumption, such as animal feed and industrial applications to make soap and candles, among others.