HIBAPRESS
The Moroccan Association for Consumer Rights has warned of the serious health risks associated with the use of used edible oils and their illegal re-use in the preparation of some food items, especially with the increasing demand for fried foods and ready-made meals during the month of Ramadan, considering that these practices pose a direct threat to public health.
Ali Shtour, the president of the Moroccan Association for Consumer Rights, explained in a statement to the "HIBAPRESS" newspaper that some parties resort to purchasing used edible oils and recycling them and using them in frying fish and preparing sandwiches and fried foods, especially within informal markets and by some street vendors, without any health control or legal permits. Shtour, a member of the Moroccan University of Consumer Rights, noted that the month of Ramadan witnesses a noticeable increase in the demand for ready-made foods due to time constraints, especially among working women, which pushes a large segment of consumers to purchase food items from markets, streets, and mobile carts without verifying their source or the conditions of their preparation, which doubles the risk of exposure to food poisoning. He stressed that the re-use of used edible oils in human or animal nutrition is legally prohibited, given the diseases and food poisoning it causes, which may have serious consequences, calling for stricter control over the path of these oils from the collection stage to their final disposal, with the strict application of legal penalties against anyone proven to be involved in their re-marketing or illegal use. In the same context, consumer protection associations have called on consumers to be vigilant and cautious during the month of Ramadan, and to avoid purchasing fried foods and ready-made meals from unlicensed places or those not subject to health control, while emphasizing the importance of purchasing food items from legal stores and keeping the invoice or purchase receipt for its essential legal value in case of exposure to food poisoning. Shtour stressed the need to report all practices that threaten health safety, considering this as a contribution to protecting public health and consolidating a culture of safe consumption, stressing that consumer protection during the month of Ramadan remains a collective responsibility that requires the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, and that food safety is a fundamental right guaranteed by law and an essential condition for preserving the health of families and society.
