Malaysians seem to have a fetish for all things cheese. Local restaurants are now offering roti cheese, Milo cheese, teh susu cheese, bak kut teh cheese, char kuey teow cheese and
believe it or not, even ais kosong cheese. Not to be outdone, street hawkers have gotten into the act with such offerings as pisang goreng cheese, apam balik cheese, lemang cheese, keropok lekor cheese and nasi lemak cheese.
Big Data solutions provider Statista Q reported Malaysia’s cheese market is experiencing exponential growth, generating a revenue of RM1.9 billion. It also said the cheese market is expected to experience an annual growth rate of 8.08% from this year to 2028, and it may reach 25.69 million kilogrammes (25,690 tonnes) in total sales by 2028. However, the surge in its popularity has raised concerns among public and environmental health experts.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Health Sciences Faculty lecturer Dr Siti Shahara Zulfakar said while cheese can be added to a range of culinary experiences and has nutritional benefits, excessive consumption can pose a risk to one’s well-being. (Pic) A diner enjoying a serving of cheese-topped ‘Nasi Goreng Pattaya’ and a glass of iced Milo with cheese slices. ADIB RAWI YAHYA THESUN
