Deliberately Added Chemicals to Food Sudan Red & Melamine Case Studies. Dries Pretorius Department of Health Directorate: Food Control

Transcription

1 Deliberately Added Chemicals to Food Sudan Red & Melamine Case Studies Dries Pretorius Department of Health Directorate: Food Control

2 FOODSTUFFS, COSMETICS AND DISINFECTANTS (FCD) ACT, 1972 (ACT 54 OF 1972) AND RELATED REGULATIONS Controlling the sale, manufacture, importation and exportation of Foodstuffs Approximately 50 sets of Regulations divided into 13 Categories available at:

3 Science Consumer Confidence Legislation Trade Politics Public Health Media Managing Food Safety Incidents

4 Information sharing is key to managing hazards in foods Identification of Hazards in Food Evidence in food No evidence of illness Evidence of hazard at production level Food Safety Authority Evidence in food Evidence of illness Public Health Authority Several possible authorities Not detected in food or no food available Evidence of illness

5 RISK ASSESSMENT APPROACH Provision made for inclusion of standards set by reputable bodies/countries in National Legislation e.g. MRL s of Codex and EU Responding to information/requests received from Food Industry representative bodies e.g. SAAFoST, CGCSA (FSI), ILSI Analysis of Notifications received from International Food Safety Alert Systems related to exports from South Africa e.g. RASFF and National Food Safety Alerts Responding to information made available by the media, internet, consumer bodies etc. ( horizon scanning )

6 FCD ACT 54/1972: REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO SPICES Regulations Relating to Colourants in Food (R.1008/1996): Lists permissible colourants Sudan Red is not listed for use in spices NB!! The use of the colourant Sudan Red in spices is thus ILLEGAL in South Africa!!

7 Sudan Red: 2005

8 Price per kg received March 2005 Sudan 1 Belief: certain suppliers mixing local with (cheaper) imported chillies/chillie powder and sold as local = > Chillie price Receipts Local Jan- 03 Feb- 03 Mar- 03 Apr- 03 May- 03 Jun- 03 Jul- 03 Aug- 03 Sep- 03 Oct- 03 Nov- 03 Dec- 03 Jan- 04 Feb- 04 Mar- 04 Apr- 04 May- 04 Jun- 04 Jul- 04 Aug- 04 Sep- 04 Oct- 04 Nov- 04 Dec Imported Contributing factor?

9 Six EU countries representing 35%

10 (INCLUDING SPICES)

11 March 2005 Sudan 1 Direct cost to SA s largest spice company: Losses close to 8 figures!! Indirect cost: Loss of sales People & travel costs Loss of consumer confidence Damage to brand

12 March 2005 Sudan 1 Other Results. Loss of consumer confidence in government as agent to protect consumer Loss of consumer confidence in food industry food industry is lying & out to poison / defraud consumer Newspapers protect consumer Birth of CGCSA Food Safety Initiative in response to Sudan Red and other issues

13 February 2006

14 March 2005 Sudan 1 Other Results Indian Spice Board co-operated: Increased testing Improved Certificates of Analysis Commitment to Sudan-Red free exports Local spice industry took action CGCSA Food Safety Inisiative leadership in assuring consumers of cleaning up industry in 90 days Port Health started checking consignments (local products???)

15 March 2005 Sudan 1 Four NB lessons learnt: 1. Sudan Red not homogenously mixed into chillies 2. Imported chillies not the only danger 3. Sudan Red contamination not limited to powdered chillies (also whole chillies/chillie flakes involved only in SA!!) 4. Lab capacity in SA extremely limited iro Sudan Red testing

16 FOODSTUFFS COSMETICS & DISINFECTANTS ACT ( ACT 54 OF 1972): SUDAN RED MONITORING - SUPPLY CHAIN OF CHILLI POWDER & FINAL PRODUCTS IMPORTED PRODUCTS LOCAL PRODUCTS??? FINAL PRODUC T (Sauces, Spices) (1) CHILLIE POWDER (Ingredient) WHOLE/ FLAKES (Raw Material) FARMERS (Producers of Whole Chillies CHEMICAL INDUSTRY (Sudan Red Suppliers??) PROVINCIAL PORT HEALTH SERVICES (Compliance Monitoring) MILLERS / GRINDERS (Manufacturers of Chillie Powder) (2) MANUFACTURERS OF FINAL PRODUCTS (Spices, Sauces, Atjar, Chakalaka, etc.) FOOD INDUSTRY (Supplier Verification) PROVINCES / MUNICIPALITIES (MHS) (Compliance Monitoring) DoH LABORATORY SERVICES (Sample Analyses) WHOLESALERS, RETAILERS etc. OF FINAL PRODUCTS DoH LABORATORY SERVICES (Sample Analyses) High Priority Control Points Low Priority Control Points (3) (1) Import CONSUMERS (2) Manufacture (3) Sale

17 Sudan Red: March 2007

18 March 2007 Sudan 2 Direct cost to largest spice company: Close to 7 figures!! Media was wrong!!! (could not verify results/tests of laboratory used) Results: Consumer thoroughly confused + heightened awareness Spotlight on food safety and food in general in SA by media (much unwarranted) Industry has no standard for tests, methods, labs

19 3 WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED ON SUDAN RED IN FOODSTUFFS Lessons learnt from Sudan I & II Presented in 2007/08 in Rustenburg, Cape Town and Durban By Department of Health Directorate: Food Control Consumer Goods Council of SA Food Safety Initiative (FSI)

20 PURPOSE OF THE WORKSHOPS: To ensure that industry and Government jointly addresses the challenges related to the contamination of chilli powders/products with the illegal colourant, Sudan Red, in the interest of consumers health and to protect the reputation of the South African food industry, and to prevent a repeat of the incidents that occurred in 2005 and 2007

21 Please, let it be SUDAN RED FREE!!

22 (113) (110) (3) Samples of Chilli Products analysed for Sudan Red -2009/10

23 51 samples analysed 2 contained Sudan Red

24 RISK ASSESSMENT APPROACH Adopt/Adapt risk assessments conducted by FAO/WHO bodies supporting Codex e.g. JECFA Conduct Toxicological Assessments/Evaluations of Agricultural Chemicals/GMO s registered by DAFF, set National MRL s e.g. pesticides, vet drugs Ensure National RA bodies follows Codex RA Guidelines e.g. GM Scientific Advisory Committee Ensures appointment of scientific experts on National RA bodies e.g. Allergen Expert appointed on GM Scientific Advisory Committee Utilize INFOSAN assistance regarding rapid risk assessments e.g. Melamine, Cadmium in pineapple products

25 In cooperation with FAO WHO

26 WHAT IS INFOSAN? A global network of national food safety authorities that Promotes the rapid exchange of information during food safety related events Shares information on important food safety related issues of global interest Promotes partnership and collaboration between countries, and between networks Responds to requests for assistance during international food safety events Helps countries strengthen their capacity to manage food safety risks

27 South Africa

28 OTHER PRODUCTS CONTAMINATED milk (powder), yoghurt, biscuits, instant & liquid coffee preparations egg powder, fresh eggs, animal feed Sodium bicarbonate (raising agent) Exports reported all over the world

29 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: MELAMINE CONTAMINATION OF INFANT FORMULA Melamine added in the primary production sector (milk collection centres) to disguise diluting milk with water 22 of 79 Chinese powdered infant formula producers affected Products from affected producers exported to 5 countries Levels detected range from < mg/kg > children ill >50000 hospitalized 6 deaths

30 Levels of Melamine Product category Infant formula Liquid milk and yoghurt Powdered milk and cereal products Biscuits, cakes & confectionary Frozen desserts Snackfood Processed food Non-dairy creamer Ammonium bicarbonate Dried egg powder Eggs Animal feed Melamine levels (mg/kg) <

31 Melamine Incident Detention Order & Sampling Imported/ Local products (containing milk) OFFER, LABEL, SEAL Analysis Detected (within limits) Written Notification Detain Not Detected Meeting to obtain Info/co-operation from Industry DoH requested Industry Recall Industry reluctant: Product not injurious to healthjust outside limits Detected (Outside limits) Manufacturer Informed Health authorities Informed Seized, Condemned, Destroyed Lifted Detention Order Informed INFOSAN, Neighbouring SADC Countries???? Lifted Detention Order Industry instituted Recall Media obtained/ published info

32 Technical Consultation on Objectives Review current knowledge Chemistry Analytic methods Occurrence in food and feed Toxicity Estimated dietary exposure Health risk assessment Identify knowledge gaps to guide research Melamine

33 FOODSTUFFS, COSMETICS AND DISINFECTANTS ACT, 1972 (ACT 54 OF 1972) Regulations Relating to Maximum Levels for Melamine in Foodstuffs (R.1054 of 6 November 2009) (a) All foodstuffs which contain more than 2.5 milligrams melamine per kilogram; (b) All infant formulas, foodstuffs intended for children under 36 months of age and foodstuffs for special dietary uses, which contain more than 1 milligram melamine per kilogram.

34 Objective of a Food Safety Plan for FIFA SWC 2010 To prevent foodborne illnesses and to mitigate economic costs due to food contamination

35 IEC: Food Safety - Letters on Food Defense Industry roleplayers Pamphlets - Food Safety for Travelers - 3 Fives

36

37

38

39 FIFA 2010 SWC FOOD DEFENCE Host Cities (9) VIP/VVIP Catering Facilities (2) Polekwane 1741 km Rustenburg 1422 km Nelspruit 1741 km Bloemfontein 997 km Durban 1052 km Cape Town Port Elizabeth 765 km

40 Suspected Food Poisoning Events Total reported: 11 Total relevant to 2010 event: 6 Only 1 event confirmed: etiological agent- Bacillus cereus (toxin+)

41 Suspected Food Poisoning Events All were self-limiting with one event having potential to affect the success of the FIFA SWC 120 volunteers at Mbombela Stadium: no food specimens, clinical specimens negative

42