MFDA says no authority on safety of homemade food
The Food Security Bill was approved by President Mohamed Muizzu on May 23.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has said that it is no longer able to ensure the safety of food items prepared at home by individuals, for takeaway and delivery, or taken to shops.
There is no such authority so far, and it will be resolved once the regulations relating to the newly passed Food Act are made.
Hussain Arafat, 32, of Bangladesh, was arrested for allegedly butchering and selling cat meat, and police are investigating the case. The public is now questioning the safety of homemade food. There are also complaints that the agencies are not doing enough in regard to such matters.
When questioned about it, the ministry's media officer Fathmath Shuba said the MFDA is not allowed to enter residences and inspect the food preparation. There are no regulations for it.
According to her:
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Only cafes and restaurants can be searched by law
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They are already regularly inspected, she said; and action taken against non-compliant establishments
"We don't have the authority to go into houses and check the cleanliness of the items prepared for commercial purposes. There is also no regulation to check the items in the shops. Now such things are coming up through the work being done to address illegal migrant worker issues," Shuba said.
She, however, said that while the MFDA has powers under the Food Security Act, which was ratified by the current government in May, it has not been able to frame regulations or implement them. Once the rules are framed, the powers under the act will be exercised, she said.
"Only now such a law has come. And with such a law we are starting to get those powers. There is no way to do it all these days. Then how do we look at it," Shuba said.
"Very soon the regulations will be formulated and we will be able to inspect such places and ensure safety”.
The Food Security Bill was approved by President Mohamed Muizzu on May 23. The law will come into force next Friday. According to the Act:
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The MFDA will set the standards that food businesses and establishments must maintain
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The MFDA will make regulations to ensure that the establishments meets such standards and describe the licensing procedures
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The Act also gives the MFDA the power to inspect such establishments and take action to withhold licences
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It is prohibited to manufacture and operate any such product without a licence issued by the FDA
In addition, it is an offence to import, manufacture, prepare, pack, label, store and warehouse certain goods in Maldives in the name of a person or through another person on his behalf for commercial purposes.
Such items are:
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Adulterants
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Mislabeled food items
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Food items prohibited from being imported into Maldives
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Foods that are harmful to health; these include products made from animals that are not commonly used in food
The law lays a fine of between MVR 10,000 and MVR 750,000 for such offences. If such an offence causes serious injury to a person's health or endangers the life of a person, the person who committed the act shall be liable to a fine not exceeding MVR 1 million.
