GEORGETOWN: A bakery and a noodle factory were both ordered to close for two weeks after Health Department authorities found them to be operating under poor food safety and quality standards.

       Besides rat faeces found on wrappers at the bakery on Jalan Kedah, its equipment was found to be dirty and bread placed in boxes carrying halal logos although the bakery never obtained any certification for it from local authorities.

       Penang Health Department environmental health, food safety and quality officer Mohd Wazir Khalid said enforcers found cleanliness at the bakery to be below standard under the Food Safety Assurance Programme and might cause food poisoning.

       "The bakery management had been warned last year after their operation was found to be below stipulated hygiene standards.

       "This time through a raid, we found rat faeces on plastic wrappers for the bread and there were grease stains on the roasting rack.

       "The owner of the bakery had used the halal logo to confuse and distribute the bread across the state," he said after the operation on Wednesday (Nov 24).

       Mohd Wazir added that health authorities later raided a noodle factory on Jalan Pintal Tali after processed food was found to be placed on the floor and products without proper labelling.

       "Processed food was found placed on the floor, and the product did not have a label.

       "We raided this shop last year and issued them a warning, but they have not complied," he said.

       He added that both premises were ordered to close under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983 and three compounds totalling RM3,000 were issued to both.