At least 86 people across Johor have been diagnosed with food poisoning — some with Salmonella — after consuming full moon cakes produced by a Johor Bahru business now under state-level investigation.

A full moon celebration turned tragic in Johor when 86 people, aged between 4 and 76, suffered from food poisoning after eating chicken and pork floss cakes produced by a Johor Bahru-based business. Several were hospitalised, with one undergoing surgery and another needing over 20 IV drips due to severe dehydration.

Statewide Outbreak Linked to Full Moon Cakes

The Johor State Health Department has launched a state-level investigation into the business responsible for producing the cakes, following a surge in food poisoning cases reported across multiple districts. The victims experienced diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain, with laboratory results confirming Salmonella infections in several cases.

Severe Medical Complications Reported

According to reports from China Press, at least 11 individuals were hospitalised, and two suffered severe complications. One patient required a cecal segment resection, a surgical procedure to remove part of the intestine, while another received more than 20 IV fluid bags to treat dehydration.

Cluster Infection Across Families and Cities

Pharmacist Qiu Kai-ming, representing the victims, described the outbreak as a cluster infection, not a common case of foodborne illness. The first cluster appeared in Kulai, involving 18 people from 10 families who developed symptoms after eating the same chicken floss cakes. Similar reports soon emerged from Batu Pahat and other areas.

On October 7, a parent reportedly ordered 50 full moon cake boxes from the same business and distributed them among relatives and friends — leading to at least 68 confirmed cases shortly afterward.

Hygiene Violations and Business Negligence

Qiu revealed that the health department had previously issued three hygiene violation notices to the company before the outbreak. Despite this, the business allegedly refused to take responsibility and failed to provide a list of customers who purchased cakes from the affected batch.

Authorities have since escalated the case from district to state-level oversight, intensifying scrutiny of the business’s production practices and hygiene standards.

Victims Demand Accountabilit

Representing the affected families, Qiu outlined three key demands for the company:

• Publicly issue a safety warning to inform customers who may have consumed the contaminated cakes.
• Disclose the three health violation notices and share their rectification plan with authorities and the public.
• Suspend operations until all hygiene improvements have been verified and approved by the health department.

The Johor full moon cake food poisoning case highlights the growing need for stricter food safety enforcement and corporate accountability in Malaysia’s food industry. As investigations continue, public confidence hinges on transparent communication and swift corrective action to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Sources: World of Buzz (2025) , Newswav (2025)

Keywords: Johor Food Poisoning, Salmonella Infection, Full Moon Cakes, Health Investigation, Malaysia Food Safety, Johor Bahru