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Kota Kinabalu: A company here was fined RM9,500 by the Magistrate’s Court here, Tuesday, for selling pickled fruit containing Cyclamate, an artificial sweetener, in its premises five months ago.

CKS Mart Sdn Bhd representative pleaded guilty before Magistrate Wan Farrah Farrizan Wan Ghazali to selling 180gm of pickled black grapes, which after analysis, were found to contain cyclamate, a type of non-nutritive sweetener, at a level of 2,180 mg/kg, which violated Regulation 133(3) of the Food Regulations 1985.

The offence took place at CKS Grocer Karamunsing premises, in Karamunsing complex here, on March 6, 2024, at 10.50am.

The company committed an offence under Section 13B(1), read with Section 13B(2)  of the same Act and punishable under Section 13B(4) of the same Act which provides for a fine of up to RM20,000 or up to five years jail, or both, on conviction.

The Magistrate sentenced the company to a fine of RM9,500 or a warrant of levy to be issued. 

Prosecuting officer from the Kota Kinabalu Health Department John Raynold Anak Achon informed the court that on the said day, a team from the Food Safety and Quality Division of the Department went to the premises to carry out routine food sampling according to the Food Safety and Quality Unit’s sampling schedule. 

They met with the premises manager to explain the purpose of their visit.

The team then purchased a food sample from the premises, specifically 180gm of pickled black grapes, at a price of RM33.60. 

They proceeded to sample the food, dividing it into three parts. 

One portion of the sample was then sent to the Kota Kinabalu Public Health Laboratory for analysis.

On April 4, a report from the analyst was received, stating that the pickled fruit sample contained cyclamate at a level of 2,180 mg/kg.

Cyclamate is a type of sweetener not listed in Schedule Seventeen (List 1) of Permissible Non-Nutritive Sweeteners, the court heard.

The representative, in requesting for a lenient sentence, stated that it was the company’s first offence.

The representative also mentioned that the said food products have been removed from their premises and returned to the supplier and that the supplier has been informed of the violation.

The company will implement strict regulations on the food items purchased that would be sold in their stores, said the representative.

John urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence as a lesson to the company for the sake of the public’s health and well-being as well as a lesson to the company to pay closer attention to health standards when selling food to the public.

John submitted that cyclamate is an artificial sweetener that is 30-50 times sweeter than sucrose.

However, under the Food Regulations 1985, the addition of cyclamate is not permitted in any type of ready-to-eat food, said John.

He added that consuming cyclamate can increase the risk of bladder cancer.

The offence is serious as it can have severe health implications on the general public consuming food containing cyclamate, said John.