Rédaction Africa Links 24 with ALM
Published on 2024-03-10 22:41:11
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forestry categorically denied, on Sunday, the rumors circulating on some media and social networks claiming the presence of the hepatitis A virus in Moroccan strawberries.
“In light of the rumors circulating on some media and social networks claiming the presence of the hepatitis A virus in Moroccan strawberries, and despite the denial and clarifications from the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA), following the results of precise analyses conducted, and in light of the persistence of these unfounded erroneous information emanating from entities aiming to tarnish the reputation of Moroccan agricultural products, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forestry categorically denies the truth of these news,” the ministry statement said.
According to the same source, the ONSSA, immediately informed of the health alert regarding a batch of strawberries exported from Morocco, opened an investigation and conducted necessary investigations that identified the field and packaging unit concerned, as well as tracked the batch of exported strawberries.
The ministry also stated that ONSSA services conducted all necessary analyzes at the production unit of the batch of strawberries in question to assess their quality and detect potential health risks.
Laboratory analysis showed that the results for hepatitis A were negative, and no contamination of irrigation water was detected. Furthermore, it was confirmed that workers in the field are subject to strict control to ensure the health safety of the strawberries.
Thus, the ministry ensures the health safety of strawberries, as well as all agricultural products in the Kingdom, emphasizing the efforts made to ensure the ongoing and accurate implementation of the annual surveillance plan by ONSSA in the national market. This plan includes hundreds of samples of red fruits to verify their safety and compliance with health safety standards.
The ministry reserves the right to take legal action against the perpetrators of these false information and to combat the various sources spreading false information about national agricultural products, in accordance with the current legislation.
And to conclude: “Consumers are urged to exercise caution and refer to official sources for information on food safety. ONSSA remains committed to ensuring the safety and quality of food products in Morocco.”
Read the original article(French) on Aujourdhui.ma
