Repackaging foods against the rules

Jul 31, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
I am reading in the news about food safety and the stringent requirements the US FDA is imposing on businesses. In Guyana we seem to turn the other way on Food Safety. The regulatory body, the Guyana Food and Drug Department, seems to be faced with tremendous adversities to act expeditiously on issues.
The repackaging of bulk products should be done under their supervision and stringent rules should be followed. We see repackaged flour, sugar, salt, milk etc. being done in unlabeled plastic bags. These are products that cannot be washed before use and the consumer, not considering food safety, looks at the small price difference in choosing the unlabeled products.
Little do they realize, to use the British phrase, they are being penny wise and pound foolish as most times they get cheated on the weight.
My visit to the markets where this seems more prevalent abounds with these products though some supermarkets also practice this unhealthy habit although properly packaged and labelled products are available.
Recently I picked up a 5 kg bag of flour being sold in the city. The label at the back states “Repackaged and Distributed by ALABAMA TRADING 6 Coverden, East Bank Demerara”. It also states “Manufacturer: MENEBA with an address in Rotterdam (presumably Holland).
I looked at the 2 kg. version which states “Country of Origin The Netherlands”. Both packages have a one year duration between production and expiry.
The first main question that came to my mind, “Is the production date the date of repacking the flour?” If so how would I know the actual date of production in Holland? Could I be buying a product which has passed its shelf life and thus become a Food Safety risk?
My second main question is where in Coverden is this repackaging done as I know Coverden well. I decided to look for this place only to find it is a small shop opposite a gas station. The attendant in the shop claimed he knows of no repackaging there and did not even know what the product looked like. Why would this importer want to place the wrong address on the package?
This brings me back to the importance of Food safety and the need for strict enforcement. Consumers could be falling sick from hidden causes such as salmonella poisoning without knowing it came from the repackaged food they eat.
Yours Truly,
Akeem Noordwy

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