Rabat – Morocco’s Federation of Consumer Rights (FMDC) has questioned the quality of the bread sold in the Moroccan market, saying it contains products that cause serious illnesses — including cancer.
FMDC said the cereals used in baked bread marketed in Morocco are ‘genetically modified.” The modified products cause a change in the bread texture due to the increase in the amounts of starch.
The FMDC warns against the elimination of dietary fiber and the overuse or addition of other unnecessary products, including salt and sugar. The federation estimated that bread sold in Moroccan markets contains more than three grams of sugar in one piece.
The consumer authority also warned against the use of baking powder, and the presence of chlorine in the water.
The products used in the bread in the absence of dietary fiber results in several diseases, such as colon cancer, obesity, depression, eczema, as well as allergies.
Bread is one the most consumed products in Morocco. Moroccan cuisine is relatively high in food that contains sauce, including chicken or beef-based tagines — one of the most consumed dishes in the North African country.
The majority of Moroccans use bread to eat the sauce. The use of carcinogenic products in the highly consumed product is highly alarming for Moroccans and residents, especially people who cannot enjoy home made bread due to a busy lifestyle or other preferences.
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“Wheat is among the foods that receive the most pesticides in all stages of its cultivation and processing, so rigorous control is necessary,” the federation warned.
Morocco World News contacted the National Office of Sanitary Safety of Food Products (ONSSA) regarding the implications of FMDC’s report.
ONSSA was unavailable for comment at the time of writing.
The consumer rights authority also condemned the lack of quality control, especially at the level of mills, the points of sale and distribution of wheat and bread.
FMDC also calls on farmers and producers to have a register of pesticide they use, emphasizing the need of a health accreditation and implementation of sanitary import control systems.
FMDC also warned against the use of fiber-free flour in the production of bread.
The federation warned bakeries against using sugar and called on all manufacturers to define quantities of salt used.
