Food Division reconfirms commitment to Food Safety in Ha’apai ^Featured

“Our initial inspection of Ha’apai showed compliance by most which was encouraging until thawed, rotting chicken and meat arrived on a shipment on Friday 6th April. We found them unfit for consumption and destroyed them immediately,” explained Metuisela Falesiva, Head of MAFFF’s Food Divison.

There were 62 boxes of chicken, 7 boxes of salted beef, 28 boxes of hot dogs, 1 box of chicken wings and 2 boxes of mutton flaps destroyed by the authorities including officers from MAFFF and MCCTIL on Friday April 6, 2018 in Pangai Ha’apai.

“We do not condone subpar standards regardless of how it came to be in that unfit state. Retailers need to ensure proper storage, factoring in poor weather and possible shipping delays so that meat is packaged and stored properly. We do not risk it no matter the cost as we are talking about people’s lives,” said Metuisela Falesiva.

The contaminated consignments were shipped in a few unrefrigerated containers on the MV ‘Otuanga’ofa last week. It left Tongatapu and travelled to Vava’u where it was delayed due to bad weather and then finally shipped to Ha’apai. The putrid smell led officers to the consignments and they followed through by revisiting 5 foreign managed shops where the contaminated chicken, salted beef, hot dogs, chicken wings and mutton flaps were sent to.

These were confiscated and destroyed.

Retailers are asked to be vigilant in complying with the Food Safety Act 2014 with reference to section 27 of Food Act 2014 which states that “(1) Any person who sells any food that; (a) has in or upon it any poisonous or harmful substance, (b) is not wholesome or otherwise unfit for human consumption (c) is adulterated or, (d) is injurious to human health commits an offence.”

“We not only did inspections but also held a workshop on Thursday with retailers, wholesalers and food handlers on food safety and distributed some of the materials funded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO),” said Metuisela Falesiva.

Ha’apai is gearing up for an eventful month in June with the Royal Agricultural Show followed by the Free Wesleyan Church annual conference and His Majesty’s Birthday celebrations.

“We were being proactive and Ha’apai really is manageable and at a satisfactory level so we were quite dismayed that this incident happened on Friday so we will continue with follow ups because food safety is key to the health of our people,” added MAFFF’s Head of Food Division.

The Food Division, in its national food safety campaign with FAO, have installed a toll free number 0800 038. 

The Food Division invites the general public to assist their work by reporting food safety concerns.