Almost 90 bags of repackaged flour seized in Georgetown, ECD

The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) has seized almost 90 bags of repackaged flour in an ongoing campaign.

A statement from the Ministry of Health Tuesday disclosed that inspectors from the department swooped down on several retail firms in Georgetown and on the lower East Coast corridor, where the repackaging practice is prevalent.

In these areas, it was found that smaller quantities of the re-packaged food items are then offered for sale to the public in unlabeled plastic bags.

The Food and Drug Department said the prevalent practice violates the country’s Food and Drug Act (Chapter 34:03) and the Food and Drug Regulations Section (18) (1) and Part (6) (2) of the 1971 Food & Drugs Act.

Importers and distributors who persist in repackaging under unsanitary conditions will leave the department with no other alternative than to “rescind their Licenses or Permits to Repackage and/or import wheaten flour in 45Kg bags,” the release warned.

The GAFDD promised that similar exercises will be conducted nationwide by enforcers of the National Food and Safety Control Committee who will be authorised to carry out the implement action against wrongdoers in their respective Regions.

It advised the public to purchase flour only in properly-labelled bags to help protect their health and safety.