CC image courtesy of USDA
A lack of available technology to test food ingredients poses the risk of contaminated edibles doing the rounds in Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwean government is said to posses outdated equipment, which leaves food checking unstandardised.
Freddie Chinyavanhu, deputy director at Government Analyst Laboratory, said the equipment available in state laboratories does not match the modern food industry requirements to ensure safety.
“We are found wanting because we do not have technology to match food advancements,” Chinyavanhu said, as reported by The Herald.
Mixed meat products are a particular concern at present stage.
“At the moment there is no laboratory in this country to carry out DNA tests on mixed meats so we rely on pre-shipment tests. We do not have the capacity to test those meats to see if there is a mixture,” the director explained.
Victor Nyamande, deputy director for food safety and port health, said the department plans to put food monitoring regulations in place.
Nyamande said: “In terms of imported foods we are trying to put in place laws to safeguard the safety of food. It is a security issue and every country should safeguard the safety of food hence our move to monitor imports.”
Import concerns are particularly prevalent after traces of donkey and water buffalo meat were found in South African products earlier in 2013.
