Moroccan Bakers Clash Over Bread Safety Amid Flour Quality Concerns

In a statement to the press, a member of the Moroccan Federation of Bakery and Pastry Owners said that "the flour used in the production of bread in Morocco is unfit for consumption," adding that "it does not meet the criteria guaranteeing the health of the consumer." This member of the Federation is supported by the Secretary General who also stated that "some bakery owners are forced to add certain ingredients to the bread dough in order to improve its quality."

False! retorts Lahoucine Azaz, president of the National Federation of Bakery and Pastry of Morocco (FNBPM) and also vice-president of the professionals in the cereals and legumes sector, who addressed the issue on Barlamane. According to Azaz, bakers and professionals in the cereals and legumes sector cannot afford such freedom because they are "subject to a draconian regulation." And Mr. Lahoucine Azaz explains that in compliance with Moroccan legislation, competent national bodies regularly carry out laboratory analyses of flour samples to ensure their quality in order to protect the health of consumers.

"Bread production in bakeries meets specific standards and often undergoes food controls. It also complies with a rigorous specification," insists Lahoucine Azaz, also indicating that "the wheat used by bakeries does not contain toxic products or GMOs."

At the end of January, the Moroccan Federation of Consumer Rights (FMDC) had already warned about the quality of bread sold to the public due to the ingredients added to it. The FMDC had denounced the addition of salt, sugar, chemical yeast as well as the elimination of dietary fiber.