Food Safety: A Growing Concern
We know very little about what we eat, and even less about the origin and quality of the food we consume daily. This lack of transparency exacerbates the feeling of uncertainty about the health safety of products on our shelves and the authenticity of the ingredients that make them up. Despite being potentially harmful, these products continue to dominate the market, putting our health at risk.
This raises a fundamental question: are our foods really safe? Based on what we observe, nothing is certain. This casts doubt on the legality of distribution channels from producers to consumers, whose traceability is still a problem. Sometimes, we pay more for lower-quality products.
The "Terrorist" Monopolists
In these times of frenzied consumption and impulse buying, adopting prudent rules and measures is essential, especially since speculators and smugglers continue to dictate the market. Their commercial trafficking prevails, influencing the regularity of supply and manipulating the supply-demand ratio. Although economic control operations are intensifying, covering all consumer products, we are still far from declaring victory. On the other hand, the war against fraudsters has only just begun.
However, it is worth noting that the control and hygiene brigades, with the support of the municipal police, succeed in carrying out significant operations against these "terrorist" monopolists every day. Everywhere in our markets and warehouses, they monitor the proper functioning of the supply, storage, and conservation systems, the quality of products, their authorization to be placed on the market, invoicing, and compliance with health safety standards, in accordance with current regulations.
The attempts at speculation that were foiled resulted in the seizure of tons of products, which were either reinjected into legal channels or destined for destruction due to non-compliance with food safety standards.
A Striking Balance
The 2024 balance was striking. Moreover, cases of food fraud and poisoning are legion. We still remember the 26 students who were transferred to the local hospital in Hidra, Kasserine, in October 2022, after being poisoned following a meal served in a regional hostel. However, the dramas of unfit food for consumption continue to make headlines. Other cases of poisoning have been reported in several regions of the country.
According to the director general of the National Institute for Health Safety of Food Products (Insspa), Mohamed Rabhi, "the control operations carried out by Insspa resulted in the seizure of over 3,000 tons of food products unfit for consumption, which were destroyed." This was revealed during a workshop on "Control of Contaminants in Food and Animal Feed" held on January 30. These contaminants pose a real danger to the health of citizens.
Anarchic Slaughterhouses
What are food products unfit for consumption? They are defined as "those likely to contain bacteria, viruses, parasites, or harmful chemical substances, causing over 200 diseases, from diarrhea to various types of cancer," according to scientific sources.
We are talking about inappropriate storage conditions, spoiled or expired products, unknown origins, unauthorized additives or colorants, and many other reasons often cited by our economic control authorities. This justifies the establishment of infringement records and warnings against fraudsters, who are also subject to judicial proceedings.
Another dangerous phenomenon that requires monitoring and vigilance is anarchic slaughterhouses and clandestine sales outlets. These illicit practices have not ceased to alert Insspa and the economic control and health hygiene team. Recently, 600 kg of poultry meat were seized in an anarchic slaughterhouse in the town of Sidi Ali Hattab, in the Mornaguia delegation, whose storage conditions do not meet hygiene standards.
What to Do to Stop These Scourges
In addition to systematically intensifying economic control, consumers are also called upon to be more attentive to the expiration dates of products before purchasing. If necessary, they have the right to report any suspicious products or observed infringements to the competent health services. These are some tips to take seriously.
