Rabat – Morocco’s National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA) denied claims that it did not perform any health standard monitoring on Morocco’s dairy products in 2017.
ONSSA published a statement today reviewing the controls in the 2017 financial year.
According to the statement, “ONSSA inspectors carried out 74,800 inspection visits” in local markets. Of these, 28,350 were carried out in provincial and prefectural commissions.
The statement further explained that the monitoring operation resulted in the control of 1,21,000 tons of food products, the seizure and destruction of 4,730 tons of unsuitable products, and the transmission of 2,566 files to the courts for prosecution.
The statements came three days after Moroccan newspaper Akhbar Al Yaoum wrote that it had received a report alleging that the dairy products were not subject to any health monitoring in 2017.
ONSSA said it has conducted the control of 8,133,000 tons of various imported food products. This operation resulted in the admission of 48,314 certificates, while 2,130 tons of food products were rejected for non-compliance with the regulatory requirements.
The statement, however, did not mention the issue related to Copag, which is being suspected of using synthetic milk in the making of its dairy products.
Moroccan law criminalizes the use of milk powder to produce milk. Critics are adamant that Copag should be held accountable.
An anonymous source reportedly told Moroccan news outlet Medias 24, “While Copag’s purchase of fresh milk should have increased given its current sales level, the company has kept the same quantity during the same period.”
The issue has come to the fore since a major boycott of Centrale Danone affected the sale of its dairy products, increasing Copag’s market share.
“Why are they raising this issue just now while everyone knows that it was wide currency, especially during Ramadan periods?” Copag asked, denying the claims.
“We do not work in the dark,” said Copag’s director M’hammed Loultiti when asked about the company’s position on the prevailing controversy. Loultiti added that the company is open to any inspection missions by relevant authorities.
