Within a period of one week, seven people were admitted to hospitals in Penang following severe fatigue and weakness after drinking MyCafe white coffee. The coffee poisoning incident was initially brought to daylight on January 31, 2017, when five people were admitted to Penang hospital after drinking MyCafe white coffee often promoted as 'Durian White Coffee.' Yesterday, two garbage truck drivers were warded at the Penang hospital after they drank a cup of MyCafe white coffee. According to the victims, they experienced severe dizziness and vomiting after drinking this beverage.
Safety of MyCafe white coffee at stake
Anuar Omar, the northeast district police chief revealed that the coffee drunk by these truck drivers were from the same brand which left five people ill in the last week. As per the police officer, a Bangladeshi man had handed over the coffee sachets to the truck drivers after he discovered it from a trash bin.
The police also revealed that the investigations are currently going in full swing, and they have also requested the garbage truck company to hand over the coffee pack to conduct further analysis.
Last week, Malaysian health minister S Subramaniam has told reporters that the manufacturer of the coffee pack will be ordered to withdraw the product from the market if the mixture contains prohibited items.
As the news of coffee poisoning went viral, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdulah took his Facebook page and asked everyone to maintain hygiene and health standards while consuming food and beverages. He also requested everyone to seek immediate medical care in case of any discomfort.
Singapore takes strict measures
As more cases of coffee poisoning are being reported in Malaysia, the Singapore authorities have also decided to take off these products from their shelves. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore, on February 03 said that this step has been taken as a precautionary measure.
"Consumers who do not feel well after consuming any food products should seek medical attention. As a good food safety practice, when in doubt of the safety of a food product, do not consume," said AVA in a recently issued press release.
In the meantime, MyCafe defended their product's safety and revealed that it is suitable for all. The company also made it clear that their coffee packs have complied with all food and health safety requirements.
