A combined team of health inspectors from Serenje and Chitambo districts has seized and destroyed expired foodstuffs from trading premises in the two districts over the weekend.
The health inspectors from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Local Government and Housing, raided trading premises selling expired foodstuffs from both districts and confiscated foodstuffs worth thousands of Kwacha which were later disposed of using the court order.
Both Serenje and Chitambo District Community Development Mother and Child Health Medical Officers, Tizza Mfune and Kandolo Nzinga confirmed the confiscation of the items to ZANIS during the disposal exercise.
Dr Mfune said one trading premises was inspected in Serenje while the team from Chitambo inspected 139 Thirty nine premises.
Dr Nzinga said ten premises were taverns, two illicit bear dealers and one restaurant in Chitambo was served with a court closing order.
He further warned the owners of the closed premises that if any one of the premises is found operating without an operating order will be liable to prosecution.
Among the items confiscated were protein tablets of 500x250mgs, lemonade drinks 15x350mls, crazy cola 65x350mls, treff glucose biscuits 293x425mls and tangy drink s of 218x350mls.
Others are parmalat pineapple yoghurt of 33x175g, parmalat choc chip yoghurt 11x175g, stony tanganiza 6x 500mls; Havana cola 346x 425mls, mountain dew 20x500mls, Pepsi drinks 8x500mls from the two Districts.
The seizure of expired foodstuffs was in a quest to enforce the Public Health Act Cap 295 and Food Drugs Act Cap 303 of the Laws of Zambia.
The destruction was done in the presence of many stakeholders and officers from both Serenje and Chitambo districts.
“…Dr Nzinga said ten premises were taverns, two illicit bear dealers and one restaurant in Chitambo was served with a court closing order…”
I doubt if these ldiots did actually destroy these items or just ate and got drunk after this operation. Hungry, unprofessional, cadre civil servants.
This sounds much more like a publicity stunt than routine work program and definitely not a serious “quest to enforce the Public Health Act Cap 295 and Food Drugs Act Cap 303 of the Laws of Zambia” as claimed!
To make a difference, inspections need to be routine and widespread across the country. Other than food stores and “illicit bars”, there needs to be regular inspection of restaurants. What kind of expired ingredients are they serving? How many places keep raw meat stored above the vegetables? I’m forever shocked to find food outlets (supposedly good ones) that don’t keep soap in the toilets. If customers can’t wash up what of the employees serving the food!?!?!
It’s simple – inspect regularly, collect fines, and name and shame offenders in the press!
Didn’t know Pepsi and other colas expire!