BEIRUT: Large quantities of spices were found to contain alarming levels carcinogenic substances, Health Minister Wael Abu Faour announced Tuesday.
“There are carcinogenic materials in the spices. Carcinogenic substances are entering the bodies of Lebanese citizens,” Abu Faour said in a televised news conference.
“What we are discovering is not just another ordinary thing that can be overlooked.”
The ministry’s health inspection teams discovered that many of the spices contain Aflatoxins, which are among the most carcinogenic substances found in foods, Abu Faour revealed.
All contaminated spices would be destroyed very soon, Abu Faour said, adding that they constituted a threat to public health.
The minister said that although the main issue was with spices, some nuts also contained dangerous substances and were confiscated.
Abu Faour listed about 20 establishments, roasteries and mills from every region of the country selling contaminated spices, but said the full list was much longer. The establishments he listed were not well known.
He also touched on the case of food poisoning in Tripoli, where around 15 students were hospitalized Saturday after eating at their school cafeteria.
The source was the cheese in the sandwiches that all of the students had eaten, Abu Faour said.
The factory that producsed the cheese and the school cafeteria were shut down, he added.
A health ministry report said Sunday the amount of bacteria present in food samples taken from the school in question was 16 times higher than is considered safe.
Tests revealed that water and cheese were contaminated with the E. coli bacterium that is derived from fecal matter.
In Tuesday’s news conference, the minister also announced that he had contacted Education Minister Elias Bou Saab and the two agreed to inspect the cleanliness of potable water in schools.
Abu Faour said he had received reports stating that a number of schools serve water that violates safety standards.
He also warned establishments that health inspectors would conduct multiple visits.
“Nobody shall lie down on silk thinking that because we already passed by their establishment we won’t come back,” Abu Faour said. “We will conduct regular tests on all institutions.”
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