MAPUTO– The Mozambican government’s National Inspectorate of Economic Activities (INAE) has incinerated 55 tonnes of assorted types of processed meat from South Africa, valued at about 13 million meticais (about 210,000 US dollars) following an outbreak of listeriosis in that neighbouring country.
INAE general inspector Acacio Foia confirmed the incineration of the food products at a media conference here Monday. The products are chicken derivatives, such as polony, which have been produced by two companies — Enterprise and Rainbow Chicken.
South Africa’s Health Department has traced the outbreak to an Enterprise food facility in Polokwane, the capital of Limpopo Province. The bacterium listeria, which causes the disease, has also been traced to a Rainbow Chicken facility in Free State Province.
According to Acacio, the products from these two companies were removed from the formal and informal market but there are still 40 tonnes of these processed meats still to be incinerated. He assured that at the moment none of the products suspected of contamination are being imported.
I guarantee you that these products are not entering Mozambique. The most important thing is to guarantee that INAE and a multi-sector team that includes the Customs Service and the heath and agricultural authorities are ready in the field, he added.
The listeriosis outbreak in South Africa has caused 180 deaths in the last 14 months. Since the outbreak, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana and Zambia have suspended imports of processed meats from South Africa which are possibly contaminated.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK