ZCSA assures the public on the safety of Mealie Meal on the market.
LUSAKA, AUGUST 29th 2024.
The Zambia Compulsory Standard Agency (ZCSA) wishes to assure all consumers and trading outlets that all the Mealie Meal brands currently being supplied on the market are safe for human consumption.
ZCSA, which is responsible for regulating the production and supply of Mealie Meal, is urging the public not to panic over recent public concerns regarding the safety of Mealie Meal as there are effective food safety and quality control systems to protect consumers.
The Agency working with other state institutions, has implemented adequate measures to safeguard the health and safety of consumers following the detection of elevated aflatoxin levels in some batches of Mealie Meal and dog food.
We wish to place it on record that the affected batches of Mealie Meal which were identified and withdrawn from the market and factories have since been destroyed in line with the Section 16(4)(b) of the Compulsory Standards Act.
ZCSA wishes to emphasize that the issue of non-compliance on the levels of aflatoxins was specific to the identified Mealie Meal batches referred to above. Further, consumers are advised that all brands currently on the market have been certified safe including brands that had the affected batches withdrawn from the market and destroyed.
ZCSA remains committed to ensuring that only safe products are supplied to consumers.
The Agency will continue conducting routine factory inspections aimed at ensuring that products are tested before being supplied on the market and market surveillance inspections countrywide for continued compliance to protect the health and safety of consumers.
ZCSA, a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, was established by the Compulsory Standards Act No. 3 of 2017 to administer, maintain and ensure compliance with Compulsory Standards for the purpose of public safety and health, consumer and environmental protection.
Issued by: ORIGINAL COPY SIGNED
GERALD CHIZINGA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency
