TBS destroys 39 tonnes of substandard food products

MKURANGA: THE Tanzania Bureau of Standards has destroyed 39 tonnes of food products worth 14m/- after inspectors found they failed to meet quality and labelling requirements.

The products were destroyed on Monday at Mbezi Gongoni in Mkuranga District, Coast Region, following routine inspections conducted between July and August.

TBS Dar es Salaam Special Zone Manager, Noor Meghji said some of the seized products lacked quality marks and proper information on their packaging, making it difficult for consumers to establish their quality and contents.

He said some products also lacked information in either Kiswahili or English, contrary to requirements under Tanzania’s standards laws.

“This will help consumers understand the products they buy and ensure that they meet the required standards,” Meghji said, urging consumers to read product information before making purchases.

The destruction forms part of TBS efforts to remove non-compliant goods from the market before they reach consumers, helping protect public health and strengthen confidence in products sold in Tanzania.

Meghji also called on traders to comply with national standards and ensure all products they import or sell meet requirements set by relevant authorities.

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Routine market inspections have increasingly become an important tool for TBS in identifying and removing products that could pose risks to consumers.

The latest action underscores the regulator’s focus on enforcing quality requirements while encouraging traders to improve compliance and maintain safer standards across Tanzania’s food market.