GEORGE TOWN, Oct 10 — Penang will step up enforcement against food outlets that do not meet cleanliness guidelines in the wake of food poisoning cases in Kedah.

Penang state executive councillor for health, Dr Afif Bahardin, said the state health department will monitor and conduct checks on all food outlets in the state.

"Necessary action will be taken against food operators who don’t comply with the rules and regulations set by the authorities,” he said in a statement issued today.

He stressed that Penang does not have any reports of mass food poisoning cases.

"Even though we don’t have such cases, we take this matter seriously and we will take steps to ensure that food outlets keep their premises clean and are careful when preparing food,” he said.

It was recently reported that up to 61 people, including two who died, suffered food poisoning after eating laksa at an eatery in Baling, Kedah.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reportedly said out of the 61 cases, 24 were in Kedah, 16 in Perak and 21 in Selangor.

Dr Afif advised the public to only eat at clean food outlets.

"It is also advisable for the public to always practise a high standard of personal hygiene and always wash their hands before preparing food and after using the toilet,” he said.

He added that all hospitals and clinics in the state were instructed to be on the alert for any such cases here.