19th April 2016 The National Food Council (NFC) held an urgent special meeting yesterday to consider a complaint received last Friday 8th April 2016 regarding hotdogs that were bought from one of the stores to have contained worms and/or maggots.
In exercising his Emergency Powers under Section 13 of the Food Act 2014, in order to prevent, reduce the risk of a serious danger to public health and to mitigate the adverse consequences of a danger to public health, the National Food Authority based on the recommendations of the NFC, approved for the business of the importer of the hotdogs that contained the worms and/or maggots to be temporary close down while work is undertaken to ensure the safety of consumers in Tonga.
This include recalling of all the hotdogs of the same brand which had contained the worms and/or maggots from all the retail shops in Tonga to be destroyed; and that all food products especially meat products imported by this importer to be examined to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Food Act 2014 and its (Interim) Regulations.
The Food Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forests & Fisheries (MAFFF) in consultation with the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Commerce & Labour (MCL) the Ministry of Revenue (Customs) and Ministry of Police will be responsible for removing the hotdogs alleged to have contained worms and/or maggots.
Therefore, we herewith notify all the retail stores that have the hotdogs which are called “Chicken Franks Salchichas de pollo” with the label “Golden Maple”, blue packaging with the bar code 8 29810 93012 9, to call the Food Division on 23-038 or Consumer Affairs on 23-688 to come and collect these products for destruction.
We also herewith warn all the consumers in Tonga not to buy and/or consume any of the hotdogs as described above.
The National Food Council will be conducting meetings with all Food Importers, Distributors and Processors to reiterate the importance of compliance with the Food Act 2014 and its (Interim) Regulations.
Lastly, we would like to remind all importers of food products to make sure that all consignments of imported food products must have a “Health Certificate” from the exporting countries’ National Food Safety Authorities or similar bodies to confirm the safety of the food products imported to Tonga.
For more information please do not hesitate to contact us 23-038.
Respectfully,
Mele ‘Amanaki
Chair of the National Food Council
[The National Food Council comprised of the CEOs of Health; Commerce & Labour; Customs & Revenue; Fisheries; Foreign Affairs; Agriculture,
Food & Forestry, a Representative of the Food Industries and a Representative of Consumers; and a Food Specialist as Chair]