Expired foodstuff from West Coast Berbice shops destroyed
OFFICIALS of the Environmental Health Division in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), working in collaboration with the Food and Drugs Analyst Department last week, removed and destroyed expired goods from a number of business places in West Coast Berbice.
The seizure and destruction of the merchandise resulted from surprise visits to ensure safety in foodstuff offered for sale in shops at Bush Lot, Hopetown and Bath Settlement.
The goods included packaged potato chips, chocolate mixes, garlic sauce, wafers, fruit juices, bottled casareep, tinned and packaged milk and aerated drinks, all of which were found to have expired.
The Regional Department reiterated an advisory for consumers to check for the expiry dates on the containers of products before buying and consuming them, because doing otherwise could lead to abdominal problems and serious illnesses.
If customers find that they have bought expired goods by mistake, they should draw it to the attention of the authorities to make sure corrective action is taken, an official said.
He said many of the businesses cooperated with the exercise but one prominent businessman, who owns a large storage bond and supermarket refused to let the inspectors enter his premises and was reported to the police, as well.
One way for business people in West Berbice to assure food items are safe is to conduct regular stocktaking and verify that what they offer for sale is fit for human consumption.