The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has warned the public against purchasing or consuming food and beverage products with peeling, stained or discoloured labels, saying they could have been contaminated by floodwater and pose serious health risks.
In a public advisory issued following the June 29 flooding in parts of the country, the Authority said floodwater often carries sewage, refuse and other harmful contaminants that can compromise packaged products, even when their contents appear intact.
The FDA stressed that washing the outside of bottles or shrink-wrapped packs does not make flood-affected products safe for consumption, as caps, seals and packaging can easily be breached after being submerged.
According to the Authority, consuming such products could expose consumers to diseases including cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other water-borne infections.
“Consumers are advised to avoid any products with mud stains or watermarks on the pack, bottle, cap or label, or whose labels are stained, peeling or discoloured,” the FDA advised.
The FDA also urged the public to be cautious of food and beverages sold from unusual locations or hawked in bulk without a clear source, encouraging consumers to purchase only from licensed and reputable outlets.
The Authority further directed households and shop owners to safely dispose of any food or beverage stock that came into contact with floodwater, warning that affected products should not be kept for consumption or sale.
Manufacturers, distributors and retailers whose products were damaged by flooding have also been instructed not to wash, repack, relabel or resell the affected stock under any circumstances.
Instead, the products should be quarantined and the nearest FDA office notified for verification and safe disposal.
The FDA warned that failure to comply with the directive constitutes an offence and will attract sanctions under the law.
