Unguja. The Zanzibar Food and Drugs Agency (ZFDA) has destroyed 82 tonnes of food products declared unfit for human consumption after inspections found them spoiled or expired.
The consignment comprised 78 tonnes of popcorn maize damaged during prolonged storage and four tonnes of assorted expired products, including rice, sweets, and other food items.
ZFDA Public Relations Officer Fatma Makame Juma said the destruction was carried out on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the Kibele dumpsite in South Unguja Region.
She said the maize deteriorated after remaining at the port for an extended period because customs clearance procedures were not completed on time.
"The delay exposed the products to pest infestation, compromising their quality and rendering them unfit for human consumption," she said.
"Once products are found to be spoiled or expired, they cannot be released onto the market because they pose a risk to public health. Whenever ZFDA receives such information, we conduct inspections and, if the products are confirmed to be unfit, we destroy them in accordance with established procedures,” added Ms Juma.
She urged importers to complete customs clearance promptly to prevent consignments from remaining at ports for extended periods, where their quality could deteriorate.
She warned that delays in completing import procedures could result in substantial financial losses for traders, while also posing risks to food safety if affected products enter the market without proper inspection.
Ms Juma also encouraged traders to carry out routine inspections of products stored in warehouses and retail outlets to identify items approaching expiry or those already deteriorated.
She said the practice would help protect consumers' health while strengthening public confidence in businesses.
"It is the responsibility of every trader to ensure that products offered for sale are safe for human consumption. We urge them to comply with storage requirements and closely monitor the expiry dates of all products," she said.
Meanwhile, the Principal Assistant for Plant Quarantine in Zanzibar's Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Livestock Development, Mr Othman Khatibu Vuai, said inspections confirmed the maize had deteriorated beyond safe use for either human consumption or animal feed.
He urged traders importing agricultural products to register their consignments immediately upon arrival at the port to facilitate timely inspection and quality monitoring.
He said product registration was essential to strengthen agricultural safety standards and prevent the entry of goods carrying pests, diseases, or other risks that could threaten the agricultural sector and public health.
"Cooperation between traders and the relevant authorities will improve monitoring of imported products and minimise losses arising from delays in customs clearance procedures,” he said.
