By- Radio ML
The Director-General of the National Food Safety Authority, Mohamed Rabhi, reported today, Wednesday, that the authority managed to seize 2.2 tons of non-compliant food products during the first four days of Ramadan and conducted 2,100 field visits across various regions of the country. Rabhi added in a statement to (TAP) that the seized food products did not meet the standards in terms of labeling and composition (use of unauthorized materials and colorants). They also showed signs of spoilage, such as mold and the presence of fungi. The National Food Safety Authority analyzed 545 samples to determine their compliance with quality standards and specifications, issued 36 reports against violators, and closed 4 public shops that did not meet safety conditions. Additionally, 83 service providers were warned and given a deadline to rectify the violations and were monitored. Rabhi pointed out that the authority, through its central and regional mobile teams, consisting of 35 teams, aims to intensify monitoring of organized shops and vendors in the parallel market. He renewed his call to Tunisian consumers to verify products before purchasing them and to avoid the parallel market, which often offers non-compliant products. He said that complaints can be reported via the toll-free number 80106977 or by entering the interactive space on the authority's website to support the authority's efforts, which rely on public awareness. He explained that the field visits carried out by the authority aim to monitor and also to educate citizens about the importance of purchasing safe and quality-compliant food products based on recognized indicators.