Tunisia – Numerous violations of hygiene rules noted during first week of Ramadan

During the initial week of Ramadan, inspection teams affiliated with the National Food Safety Authority conducted 4,100 visits to food-related institutions, uncovering 356 cases of non-compliance with food safety regulations.

Mohamed Rabhi, the Director General of the Authority, reported on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, that following these inspections, teams seized 34 tonnes of food and around two thousand litres of liquids, including milk, yoghurts, and soft drinks considered unsuitable for consumption. Similarly, 11 stores, including bakeries, poultry meat shops, and Ramadan sweets vendors (zlabiya), were closed due to inadequate safety conditions.

Further, 25 judicial reports were filed against offenders, and written warnings were issued to merchants with deadlines to rectify noted deficiencies. As part of these visits, 147 laboratory analyses were conducted on food items to evaluate their compliance with safety standards.

Rabhi stressed that surveillance teams from the Authority will continue to expand their monitoring efforts throughout the remainder of Ramadan. This includes intensifying surveillance at various production, storage, wholesale, and retail locations, even during nighttime activities, particularly in the latter half of Ramadan. This expanded emphasis will encompass establishments producing beverages and sweets, as well as the areas where these products are sold.

He reiterated that the toll-free hotline of the authority, 80106977, remains operational to acquire complaints and requests from citizens, and encouraged ongoing interaction through the authority’s website, which will provide additional avenues for engagement during the upcoming period.