Ministry directs withdrawal of Tapioca Starch Pearls

The Health Ministry has directed the distributors of Tapioca Starch Pearls which were imported from the Wang Tai Company in Taiwan, to withdraw the food product from the market in the country and dispose them as they contain maleic acid.

Senior Director of Food Safety and Quality of the ministry, Noraini Mohd Othman said that so far 66 samples of the food products comprising tapioca balls or tapioca pearls, noodles and dried mihun and tapioca starch which were taken from the local market had been analysed.

She said that the results showed that 65 samples were found to be free of the acid.

"However, those who had consumed the products earlier need not fear because the consumption of small amounts of maleic acid occasionally was not hazardous to health," she said in a statement here.

Tapioca Starch Pearls are usually used as an ingredient in beverages.

In another development, she said imports of 16 food products had been suspended by the ministry currently.

She said the ministry closely monitored food products that were imported into the country from Taiwan, and members of the public could obtain further information on the products by contacting 03-888 33652 or 03-888 33653 or surfing the ministry's website.