Staff Reporter
THE Ministry of Health and Social Services has announced that Top Score instant porridge, which was recalled in October, is safe for consumption and may now be restocked by retailers.
“On 01 October 2024, the Ministry of Health and Social Services, as the custodian of Food Safety in the country, instructed Environmental Health Practitioners in the Ministry of Health and Social Services and Local Authorities to recall the above-mentioned food products in the best interest of consumers and inform the community members that had the products at household level not to consume the products until the investigation is finalized,” Ben Nangombe, the ministry’s Executive Director said.
The recall followed the deaths of three children in Eastern Cape, South Africa, after consuming the Namibian-produced vanilla-flavoured instant maize porridge. However, Nangombe confirmed that investigations have found the products to be safe for consumption.
“The Ministry has received two different sampled results from independent laboratories that had proven that the products are safe for consumption. It is against this background that the Ministry of Health and Social Services is requesting Environmental Health Practitioners in the Ministry of Health and Social Services and Local Authorities to inform the retailers to return back the above-mentioned food products on shelves which shelf life is still valid, and inform the community members that had the products at household level that the products safe for consumption,” Nangombe said.