The Municipal Health Services Section of Eden District Municipality (Eden DM) has a statutory obligation in terms of the National Health Act (61 of 2003) and the Foodstuffs, Cosmetic and Disinfectant Act, (Act 54 of 1972) to monitor and ensure safe food to communities, which include the storage and disposal of condemned foodstuffs.
The Eden DM has assisted with the recall of the indicated products after the source of Listeriosis outbreak had been identified by National Government.
Eden DM’s objective is to ensure that the following products are removed and not enter the food chain of our people of our District:
- Enterprise polony
- Enterprise smoked Russians
- Enterprise Frankfurters
- Rainbow Chicken viennas
The National Department of Health has released a cautionary notice indicating that persons at risk of Listeriosis should not consume these products from indicated Enterprise and Rainbow chicken processing plants. All shops have been requested to withdraw Enterprise® and Rainbow® products and consumers must return these products to retailers.
Smaller shops such as general dealers, house shops, mobile and spaza shops that are generally more difficult to reach, are the focus areas where urgent interventions are needed. Many wholesalers do communicate their customers via electronic media and we have seen a positive response in this regard.
Currently, environmental health practitioners are doing comprehensive inspections and investigations at formal and informal food premises and are requesting or instructing the managers in charge of food premises to remove all products from shelves, which have been listed to be recalled.
All contaminated products have to be handled safely, detained, sealed and stored for collection and removal. They also have to be disposed of by the distributor at an approved waste facility not accessible to the public. The only approved waste facility in Eden District Municipality’s area of jurisdiction is the Optimum Waste Incineration Plant in George
Environmental health practitioners are conducting awareness and education sessions at the formal and informal food premises, which also include crèches, schools and old age homes.
People who are extremely vulnerable and at risk are: Pregnant woman, the elderly and persons with underlying conditions such as diabetes, cancer, chronic liver or kidney disease, persons with weakened immune systems due to HIV and chemotherapy.
Proper hygienic cleaning and disinfection, (e.g. using bleach) of preparation services, separation of raw and prepared food and safe storage of foodstuff are communicated to all identified target groups within respective communities and the business sector.
