14/12/2011 (Bernama) - Consumers have been advised not to be unduly worried over a media report today which claimed that the Total Polar Compound (TPC) content in cooking oil is above the recommended level.

Director-General of Health Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said the maximum level of TPC allowed in cooking oil in the local market was 25 per cent and it was the same set by most countries, including those of the European Union (EU).

"TPC is the quality indicator to measure the level of cooking oil damaged during frying, and it does not jeopardise human health," he said in a statement today.

Dr Hasan said that in 2007, the Ministry of Health with the cooperation of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) carried out a study on the content of TPC in cooking oil used by food vendors in the Klang Valley.

"From 96 cooking oil samples analysed, only six were found to contain TPC level above 25 per cent," he said.

According to Dr Hasan, the Ministry also conducted a laboratory study on the effect of repeated frying on TPC content in cooking oil.

He said the study showed that after 40 times of frying, the TPC content was still below the maximum permissible limit.

On the allegation that used cooking oil was sold in the market, Dr Hasan said a monitoring exercise on cooking oil packed and sold in the market was conducted in 2010 with the cooperation of UPM.

He said the monitoring was carried out in seven states -- Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Kedah, Sabah, Terengganu, Selangor and Sarawak -- and involved 40 samples of cooking oil.

"The findings showed all samples of cooking oil were pure palm oil and there were no signs of mixing with used cooking oil," he said.

Dr Hasan said the purity of cooking oil was determined through various types of analysis parameters and was not dependent on TPC alone. In fact, it covered other specifications as provided under the Food Regulations 1985.

He said that at the moment, the Ministry Of Health was considering the need to establish the level of TPC in cooking oil.

Apart from continuing with the monitoring of the purity of cooking oil sold in the market, the ministry would also carry out control in the entire supply chain of the product, he said.

"The ministry will ensure that the raw material used, post-harvest, transportation, manufacturing, packaging and marketing are under control," he said.

Members of the public with complaints or information on the safety and quality of food could channel them to the State Health Department or the nearest District Health Office or through the Food Safety and Quality Division (BKKM) website.

Besides, guides for consumers on the best practice for repeated cooking oil usage could also be obtained from its website at http://fsq.moh.gov.my.

-- BERNAMA