SA listeriosis outbreak no threat to Zim - meat processor

Harare - Zimbabwe’s largest cold meat processor, Colcom Foods, says its products are safe and have not been affected by the outbreak of listeriosis in South Africa.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Colcom said its processed meat products are not imported from South Africa and face no threat from the outbreak that killed at least 180 people in neighbouring South Africa.

The company said its processes are based on the international Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system.

Some of Colcom’s processed cold meats, including polony and vienna sausages, are similar to the ones affected by listeria in South Africa.

Listeriosis is caused by a bacterium found in ready-to-eat products, including cold meat.

Zimbabwe has banned the importation of ready-to-eat meat products such as sausages, polony, viennas, ham, meat spreads, corned meat, salami and pepperoni, from South Africa.

The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare said border staff will be monitoring the situation to make sure that the disease is not introduced into the country.  

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