Tunisian authorities have opened a judicial investigation after the discovery of imported meat that did not comply with health standards, said the president of the National Authority for Food Safety, Mohamed Rabhi.
According to his statements made today on Jawhara FM, the control services noted the absence of regulatory health stamps on some of these meats, a failure which makes the products concerned unfit for consumption. A technical expertise was ordered by the judicial authority and carried out by specialists reporting to the authority.
At the end of this expertise, approximately 800 kilograms of unstamped beef were seized and declared unfit for consumption. On the other hand, other quantities, notably sheep meat, were deemed to comply with health requirements and declared fit for consumption.
The case in the hands of justice
The authorities specified that the entire file has been sent to the courts, which will decide what action to take. The head of the body stressed that the legislation in force makes no distinction between public and private operators, recalling that all stakeholders in the import chain are required to respect the same legal obligations.
Marketing or placing on the market non-compliant imported food products constitutes a criminal offense, punishable by heavy fines and, depending on the seriousness of the facts, prison sentences.
