Department of Health Warns of Aflatoxin in Dried Food, Urges Restaurant Controls

The Department of Health issued an announcement on 12 October to warn restaurant operators, hotels and the general public to be vigilant against the dangers of aflatoxin, a toxin that frequently contaminates cooking ingredients. This toxin is commonly found in improperly stored dried foods and canned foods, and cannot be destroyed by heat from general cooking. Consuming food contaminated with this substance and accumulating it in the body over a long period may cause severe harm to liver function.

Aflatoxin is considered a silent health threat produced by mould that contaminates many basic ingredients. These moulds often grow well in popular dried foods such as peanuts, ground chilli, garlic and various spices. In addition, it can be found in canned foods that are stored below standard or whose packaging has deteriorated over time. The serious danger of this substance is its extremely high resistance to heat. Subjecting ingredients to boiling, steaming or stir-frying at normal temperatures in a general kitchen therefore cannot eliminate this toxin. When consumers accumulate this toxin continuously over a long period, the toxin directly damages liver tissue, causing chronic hepatitis and ultimately serving as a major factor that increases the risk of liver cancer.

Guidelines for Storing and Purchasing Ingredients

For the highest consumer safety, the Department of Health has recommended strict guidelines for food and beverage departments in hotels, restaurants and general households. The first priority is to carefully inspect the external appearance of dried foods before every use. Ingredients must be fresh, completely dry and free from any traces of green, yellow or black mould dust adhering to the surface. Furthermore, the packaging of all types of canned food must be intact and sturdy, showing no dents, bulging, rust or any leakage, which could provide a pathway for germs and mould to grow.

Proper storage of ingredients is another step to which warehouse managers or head chefs must pay strict attention. Storage areas for dried foods should have an appropriate environment, being dry, suitably cool and equipped with a well-ventilated air circulation system. Controlling humidity in the storage room will effectively reduce the chances of mould growth and spread. If staff detect even a slight abnormality in ingredients, such as peanuts or dried chillies having a rancid odour, an unusual taste or visible traces of mould, they must separate and discard them immediately. Under no circumstances should the mouldy portion simply be cut away and the remainder used for cooking, as the toxin may have already spread and contaminated the entire container.

The Importance of Hygienic Kitchen Management

Hygienic ingredient management is at the heart of operating a modern food service business. Regularly checking expiry dates and rotating condiments and ingredients to keep them fresh at all times will tangibly raise food safety standards. Operators, restaurants, hotels and consumers must take the silent threat of these invisible toxins seriously. Attention at every stage, from selecting suppliers and purchasing ingredients to storing them in accordance with standards and cooking, will sustainably reduce risks and prevent the accumulation of toxins in everyone's body.

This food safety update is of vital importance for restaurant operators, head chefs and hotel staff in food and beverage departments who are responsible for managing large quantities of ingredients. This information helps enhance knowledge and understanding in selecting ingredients to serve the safest possible meals and build confidence among visiting guests. Tourists, event organisers and the general public can likewise apply these standard guidelines with confidence when purchasing food and looking after their health in daily life.