Company lashes out at hawkers
INSECTICIDE BEING SPRAYED ONTO MEAT Tiger Brands calls for health authorities to intervene.
After a video recently surfaced of a hawker spraying insecticide on raw meat he was selling in Durban, Tiger Brands (maker of Doom insecticide) has warned against the practice.
Nevashnee Naicker, group communication and stakeholder relations manager for Tiger Brands, said: “It is difficult for us to verify whether this hawker is using our Doom product or another brand of insecticide, or insecticide at all, from the video footage. Regardless of the brand being used, we find this practice of spraying meat – or any food product – with insecticide extremely distressing and dangerous.
“We want to make it very clear it is unsafe to use insecticides, or any other aerosol spray for that matter, for any reason other than what the product was intended. While Doom has been formulated to kill specific insect pests, which are detailed on the cans, the packaging has very clear instructions on how the product must be used, as well as health warnings for humans which must be adhered to.”
Naicker added: “Using this product for purposes other than what it is intended for poses health risks and is therefore dangerous.
“Spraying insecticides on meat may lead to making the meat poisonous and could be extremely harmful to people or animals if consumed.”
One resident said: “The man has been selling meat from that spot for over a year and nothing has been done to prevent him giving poisonous food to people.”
Furthermore, Naicker told The Citizen: “We need to get hold of the hawker so we can ask him to refrain from doing this, and to contact the health authorities to intervene as well.” – Caxton News Service