Rabat – The Moroccan Food Safety Office (ONSSA) has identified the western suburbs of the Moroccan city of Kenitra as the source of toxic watermelons that have entered the market, Moroccan Channel 2M reported.
The revelation has emerged from recent laboratory tests that the Regional Directorate of ONSSA in the Souss-Massa region conducted, exposing the presence of toxic pesticides in the watermelons in question.
In light of these alarming findings, ONSSA took action, addressing a formal communication to the management of the “Al Moumtaz” Market in Agadir.
The directions, which were shared with 2M, urgently called for the disposal of all watermelon stocks containing toxic pesticides and an immediate halt to their sale to the public.
The correspondence from the directorate highlighted the presence of “radioactive components” that are inconsistent with Morocco’s health and safety standards.
This has raised serious concerns about the adequacy of the safety measures in place for the food supply chain.
President of the Moroccan Consumer Protection Association Bouazza El Khattabi expressed deep concern over the situation.
He deemed the ONSSA’s communication to be extremely grave, emphasizing its revelation of the mishandling of products containing toxic substances. These substances have been identified as banned pesticides by the concerned authorities.
In a statement, El Khattabi said that “the Regional Directorate of the National Office for Food Safety should have been vigilant in gathering and preventing the sale of unhealthy watermelons in the market.”
“This negligence cannot be attributed to the institution,” he added.
The revelation came after toxic substances were found in watermelons at a Marjane supermarket in Agadir.
In response, the supermarket chain released a statement saying that its teams are mobilized to ensure the quality of the products available in its stores.
This incident is part of a concerning pattern, as just a month ago a significant outbreak of food poisoning was reported in Sidi Bennour, located 174 kilometers away from Casablanca.
Approximately 60 individuals fell ill after consuming seasonal fruits, including watermelon, prompting further scrutiny of food safety practices in the country.
