Unhygienic food production due to lack of legal enforcement: Health Ministry

Ministry of Health on Tuesday said that authorities’ efforts to stop unhygienic food production struggled owing to lack of legal enforcement.

In the most recent raids of the ongoing crackdown led by the Maldives Immigration, authorities have discovered several venues used to produce foods in unhygienic conditions.

The venues in questions package or produce locally popular food items ranging from arecanuts, short-eats and other food items that are commercially sold.

Another case surfaced on Monday, which involved the processing and sale of feline meat. Authorities on Tuesday have arrested an expatriate as the prime suspect in the case.

A Health Ministry official, regarding the matter, said the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) lacks any legal authority in monitoring and controlling such practices specifically in individual food vendors.

MFDA does not regulate or monitor the food produced and sold commercially by individual vendors or private citizens.

“There has not been a Food Protection Act implemented so far, so we had no regulatory framework to monitor the food produced by individuals in their own kitchen or home,” the official commented.

The official however commented, that the authority is investigating a case related to food production, and added that in similar cases previously, the authority had taken necessary action including the issuance of closure or ban on food products.

In response to questions on why authorities have not been able to stop culpable expatriates in food production, the official said that authorities lack legal power to raid and inspect such venues or take relevant action against them.

The official further said that the ongoing Immigration crackdown is not related to any initiatives of the Health Ministry as well, and said that once the recently ratified Food Protection Act becomes effective next Friday, they will have the required authority to take corrective measures against culpable parties.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu ratified the act on May 23th following parliament approval. The act outlines the safety, hygiene and other standards in the import, export, or production and use of food in the Maldives. The act also provides a framework to ensure safety and health standards of the food sold commercially.

Additionally, the act also outlines the health and safety standards food vendors, businesses or parties selling food commercially, should adhere to. It also focuses on policies necessary to ensure food safety, including quality assurance of imported, exported, and produced food.

Upon implementation of the act, the Health Ministry official said, culpable parties will face fines of between MVR 10,000 and MVR 500,000.