Health inspectors condemn Bulawayo premises

Express Inn was operating without an appropriate licence, while Nondweni Dairies products failed to meet minimum food quality standards.
The inspectorate also served Betsi Flats, 102 Josiah Tongogara, with a notice to have water reconnected or have the flat vacated.
According to the latest council report, the inspectorate will this month educate food handlers in food outlets on matters of cleanliness.
“This month, the inspectorate staff will concentrate on             health and hygiene education to food handlers in food outlets. This is in view of the bad swabbing results we are         getting from food premises and food handlers,” read the report.
It is written in the report that five unnamed food premises were swabbed to assess the level of cleanliness and the results were generally unsatisfactory.
The report also shows that the food that was being sold at the Express Inn Supermarket branch at Stand 947 B.T 110 Herbert Chitepo Street was confiscated.
“The outlet was operating a butchery and food factory          without appropriate licences. All the food and the meat they         were found preparing was taken away from the shop and they were advised to formerly regularise their operation,” the report read.
The report shows that Nondweni Dairies was asked to improve the quality of its products or risk being stopped from doing business in the city.
“A total of 29 milk and milk product samples were analysed and results from Nondweni Dairies were unsatisfactory and the owner has been advised to rectify or else risk his milk being banned from Bulawayo.”
Debate ensued among the city’s councillors over the                   report.
Councillor Edward Manning of Ward One, noted with appreciation combined operations being carried out by the council’s departments to inspect both business and residential premises in the central business district.
The Deputy Mayor, Clr Amen Mpofu, sought clarification on ice cream vendors. He wanted to know if they had vending licences.
Responding to the question, the Town Clerk, Mr Middleton Nyoni, said Lyons Maid and Dairibord ice cream vendors were properly licensed.
At the beginning of last year, the health inspectorate confiscated and destroyed more than 600 kilogrammes of unwholesome meat from shops and uninspected meat from individuals.
On-going shop inspections revealed that a number of reputable shops were selling meat that did not meet the minimum standards for sale, to unsuspecting customers.
Unwholesome meat products are those that have gone bad and may cause discomforts ranging from upset stomachs, mild diarrhoea to severe stomach cramps.
Uninspected meat on the other hand comes from                         beasts that are slaughtered, often under unhygienic              conditions without the supervision of a qualified meat           inspector.