The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) on Friday destroyed 500 bags (15 tonnes) of expired maize flour valued at approximately K55 million.
The flour was discovered in the Rab Processors warehouse at Maselema in Blantyre City.
MBS Public Relations Officer Monica Khombe said the bureau acted on a tip-off, alleging that Rab Processors was recycling expired products by changing their labels and returning them to the market.
“Our investigations led us to the Rab Processors’ warehouse, where we found large quantities of expired maize flour,” she said.
Khombe said the company claimed that the flour was being stored for the production of animal feed.
“This claim could not be substantiated, as Rab Processors does not have animal feed as part of its formal product line,” she said.
She further said the maize flour had already gone bad and had been fumigated, a practice that is highly discouraged for finished food products.
“Fumigating processed food like maize flour is not advisable because it introduces poisonous chemicals into the food. Whether intended for humans or animals, the risk of contamination is high,” Khombe said.
The expired maize flour had an estimated market value of K110,000 per bag, (approximately K55 million).
She said food safety was a priority for MBS, adding that the bureau would not tolerate any violation that puts consumers at risk.
“We urge companies to adhere to proper food safety standards and ensure that expired products are disposed of correctly.
“The public should also remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity involving food products,” Khombe said.
In response, Rab Processors General Manager for Public Relations Roy Chirwa said the expired maize flour was fumigated to ensure a safe disposal process.
“We fumigate the flour to make sure that the environment where we dispose of it is safe from pests that have infested it. This is a control measure to prevent the spread of these pests,” Chirwa said.
Despite this explanation, MBS proceeded with the destruction of the expired maize flour, which was soaked and disposed of at the Luchenza dumping site in the Southern Region.
As a penalty for improper handling of expired food products, MBS fined Rab Processors K1.8 million.
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