Contaminated Food Products: Recurrent Phenomenon, Health Hazards Risk

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Contaminated Food Products: Recurrent Phenomenon, Health Hazards Risk

13 août 2018 19:15

The alert raised by the Minister of Trade on the existence of contaminated frozen corn and vegetables reportedly from Hungary comes barely months after a similar alert on chocolate, milk...

The national community is once again face- toface with another food contamination scare few months after similar ones early this year. The Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Atangana Mbarga in a communique issued recently, has warned the national community on the contaminated frozen corn and vegetables reportedly produced in Hungary. The alert on the contamination of these foodstuff with Listeria Monocytogenes bacteria was given by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This phenomenon has been recurrent across the globe and Cameroon being a major importer, is not spared. After the cholate bars and confectionary products marketed under the American company name Mars, Celebrations, Mliky Way, Dove, Bounty, Skittles and Balisto trademarks, then came baby powder milk from French diary company, Lactalis and now frozen corn and vegetables with brand name Freshona produced in Hungary. These products were withdrawn and are being withdrawn from the market for contamination. The frequent contamination according to health experts is due to lack of health and safety measures by manufacturers. Human error is also blamed for the recurrent contamination along processing course. This is why the French diary giant, Lactalis promised to strengthen health and safety plan after the baby milk and cereals were contaminated by salmonella bacteria. Some 12 million boxes of the milk were withdrawn from the market in 83 countries including Cameroon. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says the frozen corn and vegetables with brand name Freshona produced by a Hungarian company Greenyard are contaminated with listeria monocytogenes bacteria and causes the deadly listeriosis infectious disease. Listeria monocytogenes are widely distributed in nature. They can be found in soil, water, vegetation and the faeces of some animal...