MBS shuts down Ekhaya Food Mart over rotten produce in Lilongwe

By Burnett Munthali

The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has shut down Ekhaya Food Mart at Olympic Mall in Area 3, Lilongwe, simply hours after clearing one other department of Ekhaya Farms Foods in Kanengo to renew operations. The resolution follows a routine inspection that exposed critical hygiene issues, together with the presence of rotten vegetables and fruit on the cabinets.

According to MBS Communications Officer Wazamazama Katatu, the inspection at Ekhaya Food Mart recognized non-conformities to hygiene and security requirements, prompting rapid motion.

“We have asked them to attend to those non-conformities. If they rectify those, our officers will come to assess. But for now, the shop has been closed,” Katatu said.

The closure has raised issues amongst customers in regards to the high quality of meals merchandise being offered in some stores. Rotten vegetables and fruit on show pose not solely aesthetic points but additionally vital well being dangers, notably in a rustic the place meals security is a rising concern.

MBS’s swift motion to shut the store is a part of its broader mandate to implement compliance with meals security requirements in Malawi. However, the incident has additionally sparked questions in regards to the consistency of meals security measures throughout the retail sector.

The closure of the Olympic Mall department is a stark distinction to the sooner growth on the Kanengo outlet, which was cleared by MBS to renew operations after assembly compliance necessities. This inconsistency between branches highlights the necessity for extra strong inner high quality management mechanisms throughout the firm.

The presence of spoiled meals objects in a retail outlet has far-reaching implications. Consuming contaminated or rotten meals can result in foodborne diseases equivalent to diarrhea, meals poisoning, and, in extreme instances, hospitalization. The closure serves as a reminder to each retailers and customers in regards to the essential significance of meals security requirements in safeguarding public well being.

The MBS performs a essential position in making certain that meals merchandise offered in Malawi meet security and high quality requirements. The Bureau conducts common inspections to establish and deal with non-compliance points, making certain that buyers are shielded from substandard or doubtlessly dangerous merchandise.

For Ekhaya Food Mart, the closure supplies a possibility to revisit its operational requirements and align with the Bureau’s necessities. Failure to take action might result in long-term reputational injury and monetary losses.

The incident underscores the necessity for retailers throughout Malawi to undertake stringent high quality management measures to keep away from comparable closures. Food security is not only a regulatory requirement however a basic duty to customers who belief retailers to supply protected and wholesome merchandise.

As MBS continues its inspections, it’s crucial for retailers to prioritize compliance to guard their companies and guarantee public well being. Meanwhile, customers are inspired to report any noticed non-compliance to the authorities to take care of excessive requirements throughout the meals retail sector.

Ekhaya Food Mart has but to launch an official assertion on the closure. All eyes are actually on the corporate’s subsequent steps to handle the problems raised by MBS and regain public belief.