Tunisia-Did summer crops cause some individuals to be poisoned during past period?.. Rabhi explains.. [Video]

Speaking to Tunisie Numérique, Director General of the National Authority for Health Safety of Food Products, Mohamed Rabhi, dismissed claims that certain summer crops such as “watermelon” and “Cantaloupe” cause food poisoning in some people.

Rabhi clarified that every season the Ministry of Health allocates a monitoring program for specific kinds of vegetables and crops. Several analyses are performed related to the use of treated water for agricultural purposes, and tests are carried out for substances that may cause infection, such as heavy metals and toxic substances.

The spokesman confirmed that according to the different analyses submitted, no problems were registered. He reassured Tunisians that the grains promoted inside the country do not pose any danger to their health, revealing that any problematic items would be withdrawn from the market if necessary.

Concerning recent reports of individuals suffering from food poisoning, Rabhi noted that no large numbers have been recorded. He said that various health centres and hospitals are required to report any cases of mass food poisoning, defined as two or more individuals exhibiting the same symptoms after consuming the same food. He asserted that no such poisoning incidents have been reported recently.