The Public Health Office in Kalabo district has seized 329 by 25 kilogram bags of expired breakfast meal belonging to Superior Milling Limited Company.
The office has further seized 11 bags of adulterated maize bran from the same outlet.
Public Health Officer, Maimpa Mumba said the expired products were seized during a joint operation between the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Public Health Unit of Kalabo Town Council.
Mr. Maimpa who is also Public Health Association of Zambia President disclosed to ZANIS that the impromptu operation was conducted following complaints from members of the public alleging that the company’s outlet was selling adulterated mealie-meal.
He stated that the seized products contravened the provisions of the Food and Drugs ACT Cap 303 and the Public Health ACT Cap 295 of the Laws of Zambia.
Mr. Maimpa who stated that the samples of the expired mealie-meal and maize bran will be collected and sent to the Food and Drugs laboratory in Lusaka for tests added that, the expired products will be disposed off in accordance with the law.
He said the Public Health Office is mandated by law to ensure that the health of consumers is not exploited through exposure to expired or spoiled products.
The Public Health Officer has further warned traders against selling expired products adding that, business outlets have a moral obligation to ensure that merchandise conform to public health standards or face the wrath of the law.
Mr. Mumba has since urged consumers to always be alert when shopping and notify Public Health authorities of the prevalence of any expired or spoiled products so that safety and compliance are adhered to.
This one is strange. Mealie meal doesn’t have an expiry date per se, what it has is a best before date big difference between the two. Most packaging will have best before dates because it promotes consumer awareness, and warranties the product being sold for quality. I have seen salt, sugar and honey with best before dates printed on the packaging this doesn’t make them bad when they reach those dates, they are all purely organic compounds with no additives.
Let them focus on retiring politicians who are way past their best before dates, doesn’t matter whether they are in the opposition.
@Dokowe; it depends on how the product is stored. If it’s in humid conditions, maize meal grows maggots. And like you said, products should have a quality to them. Who wants to eat honey or sugar that has been lying around for 20 years?
If those companies where not greedy, they would reduce prices close to sell by dates. But they want profit margins of over 1,000%. Now they have lost 329 bags of mealie meal for zilch. Where is the logic in that?
With such high poverty levels in this country, how do we allow such a thing??? Why not donate if you realize they will expire??