A large quantity of expired food items was seized from groceries in Region 5, after inspections by the Regional Public Health Department (RPHD).
The inspections, undertaken at Bath Settlement, Hopetown and Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice, were conducted by the Regional Environmental Health Officer in conjunction with the Food Analyst and Drug Department, in a bid to ensure that food items offered for sale are fit for consumption. The RPHD team included a batch of trainee inspectors, Sheniza Noble, Marineka Glasgow, Jacquelyn Spencer, Othesha Wade and Toiwana Felix.
A RPHD source told Stabroek News that a large quantity of the expired goods came from Bath Settlement. All of the goods, he said, were seized and subsequently destroyed.
According to the source, the articles included eight cases of Trix drink mix, 10 boxes of chicken noodles, seven boxes of wafers, 23 bottles of coffee, 13 bottles of mustard and a quantity of Foodtown chickpeas, Golden Cream ghee, Country Pride cake mix, chicken seasoning, Chief essence, tomato paste and Fern Leaf powdered milk.
The store owners blamed oversight for the expired goods being left on their shelves. They said despite their normal checks, their employees were not so vigilant. The promised the team that they would have meetings with them to ensure that there would not be a recurrence. A proprietor, whose business was raided in the past, related that she had been taking steps to ensure that expired goods are not left on her shelf. As a result, the team only found one such item at her place.
The team advised the shop owners to have once per week stock taking and to drop the prices for items near expiration. They also warned consumers to check labels properly before buying and to contact the department if they notice expired items for sale.
