The ministry of health has warned about the risks of consuming smuggled fruits ‘as there are no safety checks on such products.’
Some of the smuggled apples, oranges and lemons seized by the wing of the judicial system that specifies sentences for crimes according to Islamic law,were tested by the laboratory of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and contamination and pesticide residues in excess of the permissible levels were found. Director General of FDA Laboratories, Hossein Rastgar, said pollutant levels higher than the national standards, pose a risk to people’s health, ISNA reported.
A huge volume of fruits illegally entering the country, are not subject to proper safety checks, Rastgar said, adding: “The relevant monitoring organizations have no access to producers and importers, making it impossible to prosecute the smugglers.”
The smuggled products also harm the economy and domestic production, he noted.
The FDA has planned to buy high-tech equipment for its food testing laboratories to identify more contaminants in domestic food and farm products. Other protective measures are also being implemented to help prevent social health problems.
