UNBS working tirelessly to ensure quality of COVID-19 relief food

  22nd May , 2020 ,       Hits:

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) together with officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in charge of COVID19 relief food quality checks are working 7 days a week, to ensure that Ugandans get good quality food.

UNBS came on board on Easter Sunday and since then, the quality of all COVID19 relief food that comes through the OPM stores in Kinawataka has to first be checked and cleared by UNBS before its sent to the OPM office for distribution to the public.

341.3 metric tonnes of beans and 238.5 metric tonnes of maize flour tested on 15th, 16th and 17th April 2020 passed the quality test and a ‘release food’ note was  sent to the OPM as confirmation for quality food.

44.68 tonnes of beans and 63 tonnes of maize flour were rejected and as such, a ‘rejected food’ note sent to the OPM as confirmation for sub-standard food.

“The vulnerable should receive food of the highest quality, because they are already vulnerable. So we are to stay here for as long as required, to check all COVID19 relief food and ensure it’s of good quality.” Said UNBS ED Dr. Ben Manyindo.

Dr. Manyindo also hinted on having UNBS going upcountry to inspect the quality of beans at the source.

The rejected food is to be confined to the source or held by UNBS for destruction.

UNBS continues to perform its mandate of enforcing standards to protect the health and safety of consumers and the environment against dangerous and substandard products.