KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 ― The Health Ministry has issued 47 notices totalling RM113,500 to owners of premises selling food products containing health claims on labels.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a special operation held nationwide last October, 506 premises were checked with 2,135 food products worth RM60,493.53 were seized.

He said Regulation 18 of the Food Regulations 1985 states that food labels should not contain health claims such as preventing, reducing, treating and curing any disease.

"The ministry views seriously the sale of food products with health claims on the labels as well as their advertisement whether in the electronic and print media and social media,” he said adding that it was prohibited to use health claims in food labels and advertisements.

Dr Noor Hisham said owners of premises who failed to comply with any provision of the Food Regulations 1985 could be fined not more than RM10,000 or imprisonment not exceeding two years if convicted. ― Bernama