Chicken clampdown commended
THE SA Poultry Association (Sapa) congratulates the Gauteng authorities for their crackdown on the sale of meat, including chicken, that had passed its expiry dates.
During the operation, led by Gauteng Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko and the provincial police commissioner Elian Mawela, the expired meat products were removed from shops in Evaton and Orange Farm in southern Johannesburg.
Sapa commends this action, which is in the interests of public health and safety, and we encourage health authorities in other provinces to undertake similar steps.
It is important that consumers check sell-by or expiry dates on all food items.
South African chicken complies with stringent local regulations on packaging, and labelling of chicken products and sell-by dates are clearly marked.
There is no shortage of fresh chicken in South Africa, despite the impact of Covid-19, so there is no excuse for shops selling meat past its sell-by dates – a potentially dangerous threat to consumers’ health.
South Africa’s poultry farmers are producing more than enough chicken to feed the nation, and our supply chains are ensuring that it reaches all retailers across the country.
Chicken is the main source of meat protein for South Africans, and it is important for national food security that the supply chain remains unbroken.
IZAAK BREITENBACH | General manager of the SA Poultry Association’s broiler organisation