The National Biosafety Authority has destroyed various food products and feed containing Genetically Modified Organisms which were seized last month from Food Lovers, Game Stores and Spar.
The products were seized for not having been subjected to risk assessment after which permits for import or placing on the market are issued by the Authority once such products are found to be safe for consumption.
The Authority pounced on the unsuspecting chain supermarkets at East Park, Arcades and Manda Hill Shopping malls in February for selling products containing genetically modified organisms which have not been assessed for their safety as food or feed, thereby contravening provisions of the Biosafety Act No 10 of 2007.
Under the regulation of activities relating to genetically modified organisms of the Section 10 Sub-section 1 of the Biosafety Act clearly states that “A person shall not research on, develop, produce, import, export, transit, carry out any contained use, release or place on the market any genetically modified organism or any product of a genetically modified organism or deal in any manner with any genetically modified organism or a product of a genetically modified organism without the prior approval of the Authority.”
The products which were destroyed in the presence of Zambia Police officers, and Store representatives include biscuits, chips, soups, spices, soya pieces, cornflakes and assorted crackers, whilst feed included dog and cat food.
The Authority has continued its surveillance, spot and compliance checks also seized some food products from Food Lovers Levy Mall.
“Surveillance, compliance and spot checks are ongoing. We are happy that some chain stores are complying, with a good example being Cheers who were was found to be in good books at the time of the spot visit. They had all the permits from their distributors.”
The NBA has been inspecting laboratories and research facilities with activities involving gene technology in Lusaka Province and these have been found to be complying in terms of biosafety standards with a few non-conformances.
“One laboratory which was found with non- conformances was asked to take corrective measures in order to be compliant.”
This is contained in a statement issued by NBA Communications Officer Sandra Lombe.
They shouldn’t destroy these foods. There is too much hunger around.
You’re on your own on this one mune
MASTERCARD, Kaloba creditor…we know there’s hunger in Zambia, because of incompetent lazy Lungu and his buddies. But it doesn’t mean we start eating dangerous foods, as they’ll cause terrible diseases in people. Don’t be ignorant. Also these offending stores should be fined heavily, in addition to having their GMO products destroyed. Don’t just warn them…FINE THEM HEAVILY!!!! That’s the only language they understand. Second offenders should be sent to prison.
Why were the products allowed into the country in the first place? Are these foods being consumed in SA, Botswana and Namibia, countries with much stringent quality control? What are the qualifications of PF cadres on the Bio-safety Committee?
Too much hunger so people must eat poison?
Clear lack of guidelines…
NBA’s action should be commended. It is not that you can’t have GMO foods, but those being sold to the public must be inspected and certified that they are safe. This must sink in the minds of all those selling not only food but other products as well to the public.
The problem is, we never produce enough in zambia to meet the demand of consumers,Whats imported into Zambia from SA is the same that is consumed by South Africans.For some reason i just feel the whole exercise will only frustrate business in Zambia
My beautiful Africa why?where have we lost it?we need to be serious in the way we are doing things surely how did they end up in the country?I think there’s a very bad mentality in this country,people no longer depends on salaries but on daily deals.
South African firms are capitalist so they will stop at nothing to make profits. Do not think they have stopped. They will continue to import gmo so if you are serious have a unit just to monitor them.
As if we even have a scientific body? Lol