CoE emphasises food safety and warns against tampered expiry dates  

The CoE will intensify its food hygiene and safety inspections at food handling premises, and its environmental health practitioners (EHPs) encourage the public to be vigilant about what they eat.

The community should buy foods sold only at shops with a certificate of acceptability. CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said this certificate is issued only after inspections to ensure the premises meet all food safety requirements.

“It must be displayed in the shop for all to see or produced on demand. If not displayed, the consumer has the right to see the certificate for the premises,” said Dlamini.

Consumers must note the dates on products and what they mean.

• Date of minimum durability (best before or best before end) is the date signifying the end of the period under any stated storage condition during which the product will remain fully marketable and retain any specific qualities for which claims have been made.

Beyond the date, the food might still be perfectly satisfactory. It also assists shop owners with the stock rotation of products on the shelf. In other words, to apply the FIFO (first-in, first-out) principle. These foodstuffs do not need to be removed from the shelves and can be sold for human consumption.

• “Sell by” or “display until” is the last day of offer for sale to the consumer, after which there is still a reasonable storage period at home. This food must be removed from shelves and not sold for human consumption to the public.

• “Use By” (best consumed before, recommended last consumption date, expiry date) is the date signifying the end of the estimated period under the stated storage conditions, after which the product probably will not have the quality attributes normally expected by consumers and after which date the food should not be regarded as marketable. These foodstuffs must be removed from the shelves and not sold for human consumption.

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These foodstuffs are exempt from date markings:
• Alcoholic beverages described in the Liquor Product Act, 1989 (Act 60 of 1989);

• Chewing gum;

• Confectionary products comprising flavoured and/or coloured sugars;

• Fresh untreated and unpeeled fruit and vegetables;

• Processed meats like biltong and dried sausages that have not been prepacked;

• Ready-to-eat flour confectionery, provided the date of manufacture is indicated on the label or in the direct vicinity where the product is displayed;

• Sugars;

• Unprocessed, unpacked fish, meat and poultry which have not been pre-packed;

• Vinegar.

“It is a criminal offence to remove or alter any date on the package for sale to the consumer. Foodstuffs with tampered date markings must not be sold for human consumption and should be reported to the city’s environmental health division.

“Foodstuffs with moulds, bad smells, discoloured, rotten, bulged and leaking tins or cans should not be sold to the public, even at reduced prices.

“Community members are warned not to play the role of an EHP by inspecting and seizing foodstuff from shops. This is impersonating an EHP, which is punishable by law,” said Dlamini.

Residents can lodge complaints about unsound and unsatisfactory food products for sake at these Environmental Health offices.

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