Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday called on people of the country to pay attention to food safety after tainted rice wine had killed 19 people and sickened 172 others in eastern Kratie province since last month.

“The authorities have responsibility to inspect food safety; however, each person should take responsibility for his/her own life,” he said.

At least 19 people had died and 172 others fallen ill in Kratie province in five separate incidents in recent weeks after they consumed rice wine brewed with “high levels of methanol,” Ly Sovann, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said Sunday.

Laboratory tests found that the tainted wine contained methanol levels between 10.57 percent and 12 percent, which were much higher than the safe level of 0.15 percent.

Rice wine is popular in rural areas in Cambodia due to its cheap price.