Ministry warning against poor food hygiene

CYPRUS - Supermarkets and groceries have been given a stern reminder to bring their hygiene standards up to scratch or face the consequences.

Acting after pressure from EU officials to bring food preservation and hygiene standards up to par, the Ministry of Agriculture has sent a circular to poultry farmers and companies trading dairy and meat products, instructing them to follow strict EU regulations with regards to the classification, labelling and trading of eggs and meat products.

Also expected to follow the procedures are retailers trading in such products and derivatives.

Such is the importance of this new legislation that, according to sources at the Ministry of Agriculture, Minister Timis Efthymiou has instructed surprise inspections at farms and stores.

The circular also insists that traders only sell poultry products and eggs that have serial numbers on the packages or shell. It is also prohibited for traders to sell retail eggs in bulk or sell eggs in open egg cartons without the necessary classification and labelling, as some butchers have been known to do. Only fresh category A eggs are allowed to be sold retail.

Source: Cyprus Mail

10 May 2005