Lax food regulations cause of ZAMBEEF saga – Chanda

A noon governmental organisation says lax food regulations have contributed to Zambeef selling contaminated meat to unsuspecting Zambian  consumers.

Open Society Foundation. executive director Sunday Chanda  Sunday says  prospects are high that Zambeef could have been selling the contaminated meat for a long time before the scam was unearthed.

"Zambeef has been selling contaminated meat because of lax food regulations, and prospects are high that this trend has been going on for a long time,”   He said.

ZANIS reports that the Open Society Foundation. executive director said this in a statement released in Lusaka, today.

Mr Chanda said  Zambeef’s appetite to make profits and raise dividends for its shareholders resulted in the company to over look the stipulated  Zambian food regulations.

He noted that the contaminated meat consumed by innocent Zambians will have a long term negative effect on their health.

Mr Chanda has since urged Zambeef Shareholders to act responsibly and apologies unreserved to the general public and make amends.

The executive director said  it is criminal for Zambeef and its shareholders to make huge profits from the sale of contaminated meat on the expense of the health of the general public.

 Mr Chanda said the sale of contaminated meat has contributed to case of strange cancers recorded in the recent past in the country.

A scam was unearthed recently where it was alleged that Zambeef imported meat products contained a harmful chemical called Aldehyde which is used for embalming dead bodies, a situation which  sparked concern among Zambians.

This led to government instituting investigations in the matter with Zambeef withdrawing the alleged contaminated meat products from the market.

Meanwhile Mr Chanda has implored government to take strong measures against   Zambeef for tampering  with evidence.

 He suggested that the tampering of evidence by Zambeef is a clear indication of the companies guilt.

"We demand that perpetrators of these crimes will serve jail time, besides paying high penalties as is the case in Europe, the USA and other countries.

“  Those who have attempted to tamper with evidence must face the full wrath of the law because they are equally perpetuating the crimes".  He stressed

 "Government should step in and sufficiently capacitate the Zambia Bureau of Standards in order for them to carry out a minimum number of un-announced inspections on food operators, to check that the contents of their products match what is indicated on the label". Mr CHANDA noted.