FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
15/05/2023
PRESS STATEMENT FROM NATIONAL FOOD AND NUTRITION COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA ON THE CONFSCATED INDUSTRAIL SUGAR.
The National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) is deeply concerned with revelations that some people are repackaging and selling of industrial sugar to the general public.
Reacting to a story carried by ZNBC on the 13th of may 2023, where the Zambia police confiscated more than 200kgs of industrial sugar produced by Kafue Sugar company which was being repackaged into Zambia Sugar PLC packages.
The National Food and Nutrition Commission Executive Director, Dr Muntanga Mapani is concerned that the Industrial sugar, which by law should not be used as household sugar, is being sold to unsuspecting members of the public.
This action does not only contravene the law which requires that sugar meant for household use should be fortified with vitamin A, but the Food Safety Act of 2019 prohibits the sale and marketing of food using false claims.
Sugar fortification is a method of delivering micro-nutrients to the population because Vitamin A deficiency is currently a major public health concern. To address this, government has put in place Statutory Instrument number 155 of 1998 which legally obligates all domestic manufacturers to fortify sugar, protect domestic markets from the sale of non-fortified sugar, and establish the uniform standard for the content of fortified sugar across the nation.
The consequences of vitamin A deficiency include reduced immunity, compromised brain development in early childhood, poor healing of wounds, night blindness which can lead to complete blindness, and development of cancers. All these have negative consequences on human social economic development and productivity of the nation.
Dr. Mapani. Has cautioned the general public to be on the lookout, and report any suspicious activities to law enforcers. She has further called on consumer rights groups to support the government in monitoring compliance to food and nutrition activities at community level.
Contact person Executive Director
0965224480
