* Our food operators are notorious for mislabelling/miscategorising/misspelling foods according to their whims and fancies.Unless you are one hundred percent sure they import their meats and do not use local sources(oh did I mention they are prone to bluffing too?) I would lump them all under the same type of meat,especially more,since beef can be passed off as fake mutton at our Banana Leaf and Nasi Kandar outlets!
You did know that didn't you?Didn't you?
Update (27th April 2011)
Only today does The Star run the article "Errant Goat Farm Sealed"one day later than The Sun.How half hearted and smacking of guilt.
It goes on to mention the four people that were infected.Am not putting it up here.You can google the headline and read between the lines.What an embarassment.I really do hope some heads will roll over this fiasco.
Earlier posting
Not long after the article run by The Star newspaper "Goat Farm An Added Attraction"came out,I wrote a piece to remind us of the dangers of drinking unboiled goat's milk.
You did know that didn't you?Didn't you?
Update (27th April 2011)
Only today does The Star run the article "Errant Goat Farm Sealed"one day later than The Sun.How half hearted and smacking of guilt.
It goes on to mention the four people that were infected.Am not putting it up here.You can google the headline and read between the lines.What an embarassment.I really do hope some heads will roll over this fiasco.
Earlier posting
Not long after the article run by The Star newspaper "Goat Farm An Added Attraction"came out,I wrote a piece to remind us of the dangers of drinking unboiled goat's milk.
Then on the 19th of April,The Star runs an article online saying that the department had imposed a quarantine on the farm.It doesn't mention that 4 people have contracted brucellosis.
This is downright irresponsible journalism on their part.
Today,the 26th of April,The Sun newspaper has this to say,"FOUR CONFIRMED TO HAVE BRUCELLOSIS"
This is downright irresponsible journalism on their part.
Today,the 26th of April,The Sun newspaper has this to say,"FOUR CONFIRMED TO HAVE BRUCELLOSIS"
I won't dilly dally so long over this subject.Just gonna attach 2 articles for you to peruse and come to your own conclusions.
Anyway,when it comes to this particular newspaper,they have a great track record for really sucking at food journalism from wayyyyyyyy back.
Currently their number one reporter based in kay el is numero uno on my list for borhochiakness.I am not blown away by her smorgasboard of impressive looking on the outside patchwork recommendations.
She's trying way too hard till she comes off as a desperado essay writing freak, giving her all to keep her nice cushy food review job.She should stick to her corporate writing which she does very well at and not try to poison us with all her crap.
She's trying way too hard till she comes off as a desperado essay writing freak, giving her all to keep her nice cushy food review job.She should stick to her corporate writing which she does very well at and not try to poison us with all her crap.
When it comes to enthusiastic food reviews,do read through that newspapers reporting with a pinch of salt.Cos they at the HQ do tend to like to employ people based on looks alone,very sexy or good looking people or extremely big breasted women who seem intelligent and probably did very well in college but are pompous overbloated airheads.
Serious reporters who look like Julie Andrews would probably not get a break here in this office.If they do,they'll be put behind a desk...out of sight.
Their rival newspaper(an otherwise good read with in depth English language)on the other hand likes to have hot kooci mamas and old bimbos as their food writers.Sheesh.
Thirdly,the Sun (the free paper)doesn't churn out many food reviews but at least their stable of plain,boring looking,perhaps ugly?writers are honestly brutal,sometimes to the point of making some people in the F&B line loosing their jobs.Oh well.Win some loose some.
Anyway coming back to my inclusion of local goat/mutton meat as a no go.
Look at at this way.Phee,has already given him a warning.He is confirmed to be as stubborn as an ass.
I bet you if he got wind that they were going to cull the goats,he would dispose of them as meat into our local markets.So stay away from juicy grilled lamb shoulder at the local westerns,sup kambing,mutton curry and the like too until this blows over and the operator comes back to his senses and does the right thing.
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Four Confirmed To Have Brucellosis (Himanshu Bhatt) 26th April 2011-The Sun
Georgetown: Four people have been confirmed to have contracted the contagious brucellosis disease after consuming contaminated goat's milk at a farm in Penang,since health authorities raised an alert on April 18th.
The four comprise a Singaporean tourist and three Penangites.
The Singaporean who had visited the farm in Air Itam here earlier this month is back in Singapore where he is receiving intense treatment.It is understood that the disease has begun to affect his kidneys.
Penang Health Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the authorities were working to monitor and control the 39 goat farms in Penang as a precautionary measure.Eleven were unlicensed.All movement of goats out of the farms is now prohibited.
Brucellosis can be transmitted from an affected human to another.The bacteria,Brucellosis Melitensis,with which the goat's milk consumed by the four had been infected,can cause chronic diseases that can persist for life.It can also cause reproductive diseases and intense fever.
Phee yesterday advised consumers to filter with a cloth and boil all fresh milk before consumption.He said the Veterinary Department,Penang Island Municipal Council and Health Department had conducted a follow-up inspection at the Air Itam farm on Sunday and found that its operator had FAILED to comply with restrictions imposed.
Seventy-seven dairy goats at the farm have been confirmed to be carrying the bacteria.The goats were among about 300 at the farm that have been quarantined.
"We gave the farm operator firm instructions on April 18th to restrict movement of the goats but this has not been adhered to"Phee said."We have also told them not to sell any of the goats or their milk.They must not even give away the goats droppings as manure.
Stressing that uninfected goats may be housing bacteria currently in the incubation period,he warned farm operators to comply with health department directives.
Phee said the authorities were empowered to cull affected goats and pay the owners compensation of only RM50 each.
"Don't push your luck too far and test our patience.This disease is highly contagious and we do not want the situation to go out of control"
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Serious reporters who look like Julie Andrews would probably not get a break here in this office.If they do,they'll be put behind a desk...out of sight.
Their rival newspaper(an otherwise good read with in depth English language)on the other hand likes to have hot kooci mamas and old bimbos as their food writers.Sheesh.
Thirdly,the Sun (the free paper)doesn't churn out many food reviews but at least their stable of plain,boring looking,perhaps ugly?writers are honestly brutal,sometimes to the point of making some people in the F&B line loosing their jobs.Oh well.Win some loose some.
Anyway coming back to my inclusion of local goat/mutton meat as a no go.
Look at at this way.Phee,has already given him a warning.He is confirmed to be as stubborn as an ass.
I bet you if he got wind that they were going to cull the goats,he would dispose of them as meat into our local markets.So stay away from juicy grilled lamb shoulder at the local westerns,sup kambing,mutton curry and the like too until this blows over and the operator comes back to his senses and does the right thing.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Four Confirmed To Have Brucellosis (Himanshu Bhatt) 26th April 2011-The Sun
Georgetown: Four people have been confirmed to have contracted the contagious brucellosis disease after consuming contaminated goat's milk at a farm in Penang,since health authorities raised an alert on April 18th.
The four comprise a Singaporean tourist and three Penangites.
The Singaporean who had visited the farm in Air Itam here earlier this month is back in Singapore where he is receiving intense treatment.It is understood that the disease has begun to affect his kidneys.
Penang Health Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the authorities were working to monitor and control the 39 goat farms in Penang as a precautionary measure.Eleven were unlicensed.All movement of goats out of the farms is now prohibited.
Brucellosis can be transmitted from an affected human to another.The bacteria,Brucellosis Melitensis,with which the goat's milk consumed by the four had been infected,can cause chronic diseases that can persist for life.It can also cause reproductive diseases and intense fever.
Phee yesterday advised consumers to filter with a cloth and boil all fresh milk before consumption.He said the Veterinary Department,Penang Island Municipal Council and Health Department had conducted a follow-up inspection at the Air Itam farm on Sunday and found that its operator had FAILED to comply with restrictions imposed.
Seventy-seven dairy goats at the farm have been confirmed to be carrying the bacteria.The goats were among about 300 at the farm that have been quarantined.
"We gave the farm operator firm instructions on April 18th to restrict movement of the goats but this has not been adhered to"Phee said."We have also told them not to sell any of the goats or their milk.They must not even give away the goats droppings as manure.
Stressing that uninfected goats may be housing bacteria currently in the incubation period,he warned farm operators to comply with health department directives.
Phee said the authorities were empowered to cull affected goats and pay the owners compensation of only RM50 each.
"Don't push your luck too far and test our patience.This disease is highly contagious and we do not want the situation to go out of control"
-------------------------------------------------------------
Goat Farm An Added Attraction (24th March 2011)-The Star
Air Itam is now more than just the Kek Lok Si Temple,Penang Hill and Air Itam Dam.
Fresh and nutritious: A worker milking the goat at the farm near the Air Itam Dam
A goat’s milk farm located several metres away from the dam has somehow become a new tourist attraction for Penang.Formally a durian orchard, the 1.6ha land was later converted into a farm by three brothers Sen Ng, Adie Ng and Ray Ng in 2009 and has now more than 300 goats.
Growing well: Sen showing a one-week-old kid at his goat's milk farm
Sen, 45, who opted for early retirement after serving the police force for 20 years, said the farm is part of their hobbies.Enjoying their food: (above) The goats feeding on soya bean waste at the farm located a few metres away from the Air Itam Dam; (below) Cham (in orange) from Pahang about to drink the goat's milk. With him are his wife and daughter
“We started off with only four goats and slowly bred them into the number we have today.“We hope the place can be a stopover for joggers or tourists after a tired walk at the dam.
“Our farm is also open for the public to visit and see how we manage the goats and obtain their milk. Entrance is free,” he said when met at his farm recently.
Sen said among the goats kept in the farm are the “Alpine, Anglo-Nubian, Saanen and Toggenburg” breeds.
“Our goats’ milk is free from pungent taste as we feed them grasses, soya bean waste and bean sprout shells. We have eight workers, six from India and two locals, to maintain the farm. They also have to look for a lorry-load of grass to feed the goats,” he said.
The estimated cost for maintenance is RM10,000 per month.
Sen said the workers would milk the goats twice a day at 8am and 7pm.
“If the milk is not extracted, the kids (baby goats) would be sick when they consume it from the goats.
“Our goat’s milk is also 100% natural as we only filter the milk without adding any ingredients,” he said, adding that they could get about 50 litres milk daily.
Workers also have to cut the goats’ nails from time to time since they do not live in mountains and jungles.
The goat faeces would be kept and later sold as fertiliser.
Contractor Ken Cham, 40, from Pahang was seen stopping by at the farm with his wife Cheng Guat Kuan, 37, and daughter Lina Cham, 12, after their visit to the Kek Lok Si Temple.
“My cousin brother took me here and I find the goat’s milk tasty,” Cham said.
