Manufacturers of peanut butter products are urged to test for aflatoxin and submit their findings to the National Consumer Commission within 14 days.
This follows recent recalls of several peanut butter products due to toxin concerns, including Pick n Pay No Name Smooth Peanut Butter, Eden Smooth Peanut Butter, Eden Crunch Peanut Butter, certain batches of Dis-Chem’s Lifestyle Food peanut butter, Woolworths’ peanut butter ice cream, and select Eat Naked products.
The latest notice includes all peanut butter, peanut-based products, and items containing peanuts, such as chocolates, sweets, cookies, ice cream and peanut butter spreads, as reported by TimesLIVE.
The acting consumer commissioner, Thezi Mabuza, expressed concern over the high rate of recalls.
To address this challenge, the commission has issued a notice under Section 60 (2) (a) of the Consumer Protection Act to peanut butter manufacturers and suppliers. This notice mandates suppliers to conduct urgent investigations, test their products for aflatoxin, and submit their findings to the commission within 14 days of notification.
‘In addition to this, the NCC extends the same call to other suppliers of products with peanuts to also investigate and submit their results to the NCC.’
‘While investigating their products, manufacturers, importers, and retailers are urged to take immediate corrective measures where their products are found to be unsafe. These include removing the products from the shelves following the NCC’s product recall protocols, informing relevant regulators in the space, as well as notifying consumers,’ Mabuza said.
Consuming products that contain elevated levels of aflatoxin may pose potential health risks such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Article shared by Cape Etc.
ALSO SEE:
Panic in the peanut butter aisle: NCC recalls several more peanut butter brands
Feature Image: Pexels
