KUCHING: The Magistrate’s Court here fined a food importing company RM21,000 after it pleaded guilty to seven counts of illegally adding a banned non-nutritive artificial sweetener to preserve food products.
The case was heard before two magistrates yesterday (Jun 23). Three charges were read before Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan, while the remaining four were heard before Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan.
Represented by legal counsel, the company entered the guilty plea to each of the seven charges under Regulation 397(1) of the Food Regulations 1985, and was sentenced under Regulation 397(2) of the same law.
The court imposed a fine of RM3,000 for each charge, bringing the total to RM21,000.
According to the case facts, samples of the preserved food products were collected on Nov 29, 2024, and later sent for laboratory analysis.
Test results confirmed the presence of cyclamate, a non-nutritive artificial sweetener banned in certain food products under Regulation 133(3) of the Food Regulations 1985, which states that no person may import, prepare or advertise for sale or sell any food which has been added with non-nutritive sweeteners except as otherwise permitted by these Regulations.
Prosecuting officer Mohd Fairos Ibrahim from the Kuching Divisional Health Office’s Inspectorate and Legal Unit told the court that cyclamate is a low-calorie artificial sweetener that is 30 to 50 times sweeter than sugar.
It is commonly used in sugar-free products such as soft drinks, candies, and diet foods.
He said the use of cyclamate in fresh fruit products — including peeled or ready-to-eat varieties — is strictly prohibited due to potential long-term health risks, including cancer when consumed in excess.
Mohd Fairos urged the court to impose a fitting sentence that would serve as a lesson to the company and other food importers, noting the importance of due diligence when bringing food products into the country.