Pesticide Contamination Found in Moroccan Mint, Food Safety Office Warns

The alarming situation, relayed in the press in recent days, which reports on the quality of mint produced in Morocco, should concern more than one person. If we stick to the disturbing information provided by the National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA), the consumption of mint would take a serious blow. Indeed, through two letters, the public health control body made it clear by reporting the "presence of pesticide residues in mint intended for consumption".

The correspondence from ONSSA addressed to the walis of the regions specifies that for Souss-Massa-Drâa, "the results of analyzes carried out on samples nationwide have shown very high non-compliance rates due either to the use by producers of unapproved chemicals or to high residue levels of approved products". Contacted by Telquel, the regional director of ONSSA in Souss Massa indicated that the alert concerns the six main mint-producing regions. These are, he lists, Rabat-Kenitra, Tanger-Tétouan-al Hoceima, Casablanca-Settat, Souss-Massa, Marrakech-Safi and Fès-Meknès".

However, the authority reassures: "this does not mean that all the mint marketed in Morocco is unfit for consumption, but a part of the crops where we have taken samples is concerned". And to add that "we are waiting for the results of the samples we have taken again from the producers. If they are compliant, so much the better, if not, we will proceed to the destruction of the crops concerned".

In addition to these measures, Dr. Mohamed Zardoune, quoted by the same source, confirmed the implementation of "several actions, to immediately raise awareness among producers on good phytosanitary practices and on the control of pesticides.