Taboo on altering manufacture and expiry dates
by Ananda Kannangara
The Health Ministry will come down hard on unscrupulous traders who
alter the manufacturing and expiry dates of consumer products.
According to a spokesman for the Health Ministry some grocery shop
dealers are in the habit of effecting such alterations on the labels
pasted on food packets, canned food products and bottles of cordials.
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena told the Sunday Observer that
the public should be extremely cautious when buying food products from
small grocery shops or supermarkets.
According to the amended Food Act, initiated by the Health Ministry
to ensure quality food production from July 1, this year, all food
manufacturers should strictly comply with Health Ministry regulations
when selling products.
Manufacturers too should adhere to the Ministry directive when
manufacturing, labelling and transporting food products.
The Health Ministry calls upon customers to check the labels pasted
on food packets and bottles containing cordial, jam and butter. The
spokesman said, products which carry the Sri Lanka Standards (SLS) label
and the expiry date could be considered as quality items. The Minister
has cautioned customers to keep a close eye on outdated food items that
are sold cheap to earn a fast buck. The Minister also cautioned traders
to refrain from selling outdated food items, including meet, fish,
imported canned foods, soft drinks and bottles of cordials to customers,
since many deaths had been reported recently due to outdated soft
drinks.
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