Malaysia’s Health Ministry said it has inspected bread manufacturer Gardenia’s factory following complaints of suspected food poisoning after people consumed its products, and is awaiting laboratory analysis results.
In a statement on Sunday (8 November), the ministry said it was conducting a preliminary investigation into complaints circulating on social media and media reports. The complaints concerned suspected food poisoning after people consumed Gardenia Original Classic white bread and Twiggies Choc-A-Lot chocolate cakes.
The ministry said Gardenia had informed it that the company’s internal investigation found no irregularities in the production process for the products concerned, changes to recipes, or breaches of standard operating procedures and food safety controls.
The ministry said incomplete information on production batches and expiry dates had made it difficult to trace the products concerned. However, with the complainants’ consent, the authorities have collected the remaining products and packaging for laboratory analysis.
The statement stressed that the findings released by Gardenia were from an internal investigation only and did not provide a basis for a final conclusion on the matter. The ministry gave assurances that it would take appropriate enforcement action if there was evidence of legal violations or food safety risks.
The ministry advised anyone experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea or feeling unwell after consuming the products concerned to seek medical attention immediately and report the matter to the nearest district health office.
A Twitter user in Malaysia claimed on Saturday (7 November) to have experienced food poisoning symptoms after consuming two Gardenia products, prompting concern and discussion among social media users about their safety. Gardenia promptly apologised in a comment and followed up through a private message, while also initiating product sampling and an internal investigation.
In a statement on Sunday, Gardenia said it would cooperate fully with the ministry’s investigation, including allowing on-site inspections of its production facilities to ensure product safety and compliance.
