The illegal factory was uncovered during a joint operation in Zandfontein last week. Picture: X/@RekordNewspaper
The Tshwane health department has warned residents to be careful about suspicious food products following a raid on an illegal peanut butter factory.
The illegal factory was uncovered during a joint operation and law enforcement official in Zandfontein last week.
In the video ward 1 councillor Leon Kruyshaar who visited the illegal factory shows an unhygienic factory with bags of peanuts on the floor and dirty equipment to manufacture the peanut butter.
Kruyshaar said the state of the premises was shocking, adding that the peanut butter was allegedly scooped by hand into bottles before being packed and distributed to retailers.
“They siphoned it out and its scooped of the ground and this is what we eat. If you have any the these (peanut butter) products, please discard it, get rid of it, its definitely a health risk
“But we will not stop, we will continue visiting all the shops in our region,” Kruyshaar said.
Kruyshaar did not disclose the brand name of the peanut butter.
ALSO READ: Chiloane ‘heartbroken’ after 3 pupils die from suspected food poisoning, another from rat poison
The Tshwane health department told The Citizen its environmental health practitioners play a vital role in the city’s food safety.
“The Health Department conducts routine inspections of known food premises in the city. Where food premises do not comply with health regulations.
“Fines to the value of R15 000 were issued to the owner/person in charge of the food premise and it was prohibited from operating until all relevant requirements were met,” said the department.
Last week, the Gauteng Department of Health revealed that the province recorded 207 cases of food poisoning affecting children since February. Ten of these cases have resulted in death.
The department raised an alarm about the increase in food poisoning cases in townships, informal settlements, and hostel (TISH) communities.
The department called on parents and guardians to exercise caution to ensure the safety of their children.
Additonal reporting by Vhahangwele Nemakonde
ALSO READ: Gauteng’s food poisoning crisis: 207 cases and 10 child fatalities since February
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