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The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has received a cautionary notice from the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) informing the general public to avoid the purchase and consumption of some affected batches of Appletiser drinks suspected to contain mycotoxin (‘patulin’) above the permitted limit of 50 parts per billion (50ppb) for foodstuffs.

CCPC Senior Public Relations officer Namukolo Kasumpa said according to the World Health Organization, patulin is a form of mycotoxin which when consumed in high levels may cause nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances and vomiting.

Ms. Kasumpa said the warning comes after Coca-Cola South Africa (CCSA) company, the manufacturers of Appletiser initiated a voluntary recall on or around 23rd September of some batches of Appletiser from the market in South Africa only, whereas it was established that Appletiser is imported and distributed into Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Common Market), no such
recall was announced or made.

“In view of the above CCC requested CCSA to recall the affected products from the Common Market and issue a notice to the public indicating its distributors and related dealers in the Common Market to enable consumers identify where to return products,” Ms. Kasumpa said.

“Further they were directed to inform the public of any undertaking to replace the products or refund the price of the products and desist from exporting the same products to the Common Market until such a time when the defect is corrected and the general public is informed accordingly,” She explained.

She notes that considering that the recalled products are unsafe, and CCSA has not taken steps to recall them from the Common Market, CCPC has since invoked Article 33 (2) of the COMESA Competition Regulations to issue a compulsory product recall notice to CCSA.

She said the specific batches of Appletiser can be identified by looking at the Best before date which is stamped at the bottom or top of the products and have.

In view of the foregoing, the CCPC is urging all Zambian consumers and traders to exercise caution by ensuring that they look out for the affecter batches of Appletiser drinks for the good of their health and safety.

CCPC has also advised all consumers who may have already purchased the affected products to report to any of their provincial offices across the country or call on the toll-free number 5678.

affected batches of Appletiser drinks
Affected batches of Appletiser drinks

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