Monze Town Council Public Health Department working in collaboration with the District Environmental Health team has ceased assorted expired food staffs from various shops in the District.
Council Public Relations Officer Kanchele Kanchele says a team of Environmental Health Officers from the District Health Department and Local Authority have been carrying out spot checks on various shops in line with the Public Health Act Cap 295 and Food Safety Act No.7 of 2019 Laws of Zambia.
He said the spot checks are meant to ensure that residents of the District are not being sold expired goods especially food staffs which may cause health problems.
He said the team has so far made checks in shops around Central Business District and surrounding markets and that various expired items were ceased for confiscation by the local authority.
The items ceased included Mayonnaise, Chicco biscuits, Bottled Beans, Tingling, Eat Sum More biscuits, Power drinks, Job biscuits, Vanilla biscuits, Icing Sugar. Others were Ajax, Lifebuoy, Cleared lotion and Johnson’s baby powder among others.
And Council Chairperson Powell Mutenguna has called on shop owners in the District to ensure that all expired items are removed from the shelves in shops.
Mr. Mutenguna said the Local Authority will not hesitate to use the existing laws to penalize and prosecute those found wanting as stocking expired items has health implications on the consumers.
He has since called on the residents to be vigilant and report any outlets which will save them expired items to relevant authorities.
The ceased items have since been disposed off.