Biosafety authority confiscates GMOs

THE National Biosafety Authority (NBA) has seized various food products and feed containing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) from Food Lovers and Spar in Lusaka’s East Park and Arcades Mall which were being sold without permits from the Authority.

In a statement issued to Daily Nation, NBA Communications Officer, Sandra Lombe, said some of the confiscated products were imported into the country illegally.

Ms Lombe said the two chain supermarkets were found wanting after the Authority seized the various food products which would be destroyed in accordance with the law. She said the food products confiscated, included biscuits, chips, soups, spices, soya pieces, cornflakes and assorted crackers, whilst feed included dog and cat food.

The two supermarkets were previously engaged and sensitized by the NBA on the need to get permits if they are to trade in products of GMOs.

“The Authority pounced on the unsuspecting chain supermarkets at East Park and Arcades Shopping Malls on Tuesday afternoon for selling products containing GMOs which have not been assessed for their safety as food and feed, thereby contravening provisions of the Biosafety Act No 10 of 2007.

“We are concerned that some traders do not have the copies readily available in their stores. It is a requirement that such permits are in the shops and produced when requested by the Biosafety Inspectors,” she said.

Ms Lombe said, in Spar, apart from their branded products containing GMOs, confiscated items included samples of products from suppliers who had permits but Spar did not have copies of the permits to place on the market, as a requirement for traceability, by the time of the visit.

She said however, Spar was asked to produce copies of permits by Wednesday 20th February, 2019, failure to which led to the seizure and destruction of the food stuffs that were removed on the shelves.

The Authority warned all traders that they risked facing the law if they did not have copies of permits, even from their distributors, to sell products of GMO.

Ms Lombe said NBA, in October last year, gave traders, wholesalers, chain stores and supermarkets a one week ultimatum to acquire permits to sell products of GMOs from their distributors and suppliers.