Morocco Grapples with Surge in Food Poisoning Cases, Calls for Stricter Regulations

Cases of food poisoning are multiplying in Morocco, especially in Marrakech. The latest one has caused six deaths in the ochre city. Faced with the worrying increase in food poisonings, the Moroccan Federation of Consumer Rights is alerting the responsible authorities to take all necessary measures and provisions to avoid these serious and fatal poisonings affecting citizens, especially with the approach of the organization by Morocco of continental and international events, not to mention the continuous investments to attract tourists. It calls on the Minister of Health and Social Protection to update the laws relating to the management of collective and individual food poisonings.

The federation proposes "to require the issuance of the authorization to carry out the activity of selling food products in all its forms, on the condition of obtaining a training certificate in the field, to avoid recurrent cases of collective and individual poisonings." It also calls for "applying a semi-annual health check for each worker in the field of nutrition, and applying Decree 65-554 of June 26, 1967 by all doctors to know the real situation of food poisonings in Morocco." According to consumer rights advocates, it is necessary "to cancel Article 5 of Ministerial Decree No. 473-210 of September 6, 2011 relating to the assignment of the authorization mission to the health offices operating under the responsibility of the president of the local authority, which gives them a character of political and family favoritism, among others."

The federation also demands "to place the authorization commissions under the supervision of the local authority and not the municipal councils, while controlling the traceability of perishable food products with a rigorous traceability system." It also calls for "organizing the sector of suppliers and enacting a law governing this profession with the obligation to have the necessary equipment to prepare meals and preserve products."