CAC BATS FOR QUALITY CONTROL IN PROCESSING FOODS

Consumers must get Value for their money and their rights must be respected and protected. This is the position taken by the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) with regards to the importance of proper labelling and quality controls in the processing of food.

In a press release, Anieta Banton, research and complaints officer at the CAC, stated that, ‘Labelling is very important as it relates to ensuring consumer health and safety. She also stated that manufacturers and providers of goods and services have a moral and legal responsibility to protect consumers in this way.

Ms. Banton disclosed that between April 2O02 to March 2003, the CAC received 37 complaints islandwide from consumers regarding contaminants in processed foods, ranging from baby formula to spice buns and box drinks. She said that the contaminants ranged from pieces of glass, plastics, to various insects including roaches and scorpions.

The release pointed out that the matter of labelling had several implications for consumer welfare, as it had an impact on three of the consumer’s fundamental rights — the right to be informed, the right to choose and the right to safety. She said that these rights were recognised by the UN Guidelines on Consumer Protection to which Jamaica is a signatory. She added that the issue of labelling was a hotly debated issue in the US and the European Union, especially with regard to genetically modified foods.

She said that quality control was important in food processing in order to determine:

         * Allowable levels of contaminants
         * The order of processing
         * Temperature and pressure levels
         * Processing time
         * Permissible inputs

She said these criteria sought as much as possible, to guarantee the good health of all end users, that is, the consumer.
The release highlighted the following aspects of labelling which have serious implications on consumers’ health, safety and general welfare:

1. Expiry date — Indicates the date after which foods are considered no longer fresh, or safe for consumption or ingestion, in the case of medication. Some foods and medication may become toxic after a certain date, or lose their effectiveness in the case of medication. This feature on Labels, therefore, serves to protect consumers' interests, to ensure that they get products of high quality and products that are safe.

2. Product name — Consumers sometimes opt to purchase food, pesticides and poisons in unmarked containers from unauthorised individuals; usually because they are relatively cheaper. This is not safe or prudent practice. Such items can easily he mistaken for food and mistakenty ingested and lead to serious harm, even death.

3. Ingredients — A list of the inputs in a product is very important, especially for those persons with allergies and those with specific nutritional needs. In addition, certain foods or drink may contain ingredients, which can interact with medication, to cause drug interaction, which is sometimes harmful to consumers. Drug interaction may impede the effectiveness of a drug, or cause a chemical reaction, which could lead to serious health problems and even death. Ingredients, indications and instructions are especially important for medication.

4. Batch numbers — Batch numbers are important for tracing a particular product, especially for the purpose of quality checks and recalls.

5. Manufactures’ name and address, country of origin - These are important, especially for the purpose of quality checks and recalls.

6. Net quantity/weight — These are especially critical for those who require a specific quantity of product for specific use, that is, persons on a specific diet, persons preparing dishes or mixtures with specific measurements for ingredients.

Dr. Errol Daley, president of the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ), supports the CAC’s position on the importance of proper labelling and quality controls.

Dr. Daley, told the Sunday Herald that when expired, foods may have by-products that could be toxic to humans when broken down. He said that after the specifled date has elapsed for food to be consumed, the food becomes tainted with certain micro-organisms that have the potential to cause debilitating illnesses, particularly to the very young or old and persons with concurrent illnesses.

Dr. Daley stated that persons whose vital organs such as liver, kidney or heart have been impaired by prolonged illnesses, are particularly vulnerable if they consume expired foods.

Anything the public consumes has to have batch numbers in order to trace and isolate products that are defective, he said. He added that if it is found that a product is defective or is causing consumers’ ill-health, and the absence of batch numbers makes it impossible to identify the source of the problem, the Ministry of Health will have to pull an entire line of products and/or close down the factory until the problem is isolated.

Dr. Daley pointed out that in such a situation, it is the responsibility of the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health to recall all products manufactured by the brand, close its factories and identify the problem within a few days in order to avert a national epidemic.