Following the tragic incident in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, South Africa, where three children died after allegedly having eaten an instant porridge manufactured by Namib Mills, the company says a laboratory in South Africa has found nothing wrong with its instant porridge products.
On 29 September the company temporarily recalled all variants of Top Score Instant Porridge from markets in Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho and Zambia while investigations to determine the cause of the deaths are carried out.
While the South African authorities were investigating the case, Namib Mills also carried out its own investigations as well as sending samples of its various instant porridge products for rigorous testing by SANAS, a laboratory accredited in South Africa.
“The results confirm that Top Score Instant Porridge is safe for consumption,” says Namib Mills senior brand manager, Marne Bouwer.
Bouwer states that this testing encompassed not only the specific batch in question (06/08/2024) but also multiple batches across different flavours and production dates, “to further reassure consumers and stakeholders that Namib Mills products pose no health risk and comply with the highest standards in food safety.
“Even though there is no evidence linking our product to this isolated incident, we took this step out of an abundance of caution to ensure consumer safety and confidence.
“SANAS accreditation certificates are a formal recognition by the Government of South Africa that an organisation is competent to perform specific tasks.”
Bouwer indicates that the independent laboratory conducted a series of rigorous tests, including pesticide analysis: testing for over 200 different pesticides to ensure none are detected.
“This test checks for over 200 types of pesticides, which can be harmful if ingested.
“High pesticide levels can cause acute poisoning, especially in vulnerable populations like children, leading to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, seizures, and even death.
“This test confirms no harmful pesticide residues were present in our products, ruling out poisoning from pesticide exposure.”
Another test was done for heavy metals analysis.
“This test detects toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic. Even small amounts of these metals can cause poisoning, particularly in children, leading to neurological damage, organ failure, or death.
“This test confirms no harmful heavy metals were present in our products, ruling out poisoning from heavy metals exposure,” Bouwer indicates.
Another test was for microbiological analysis: confirming the absence of disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or toxins.
“This test identifies harmful bacteria, viruses, or toxins that can cause foodborne illnesses like food poisoning. Contamination by pathogens such as Salmonella or E. coli can result in severe gastrointestinal symptoms, dehydration, or even fatal outcomes, especially in young children.
“This test confirms the absence of harmful microorganisms, which means our products are not the source of food poisoning.”
Bouwer says that the test results confirm that Top Score product batches across all variants (flavours) are free from harmful contaminants and comply with the highest standards of food safety.
“Top Score Instant Porridge is entirely safe for human consumption.
“Our thorough testing and rigorous controls confirm that our manufacturing process meets the highest food safety standards ensuring a clean bill of health for all products leaving our facility.
“However, there is always a possibility that contamination may occur after the products leave our control.”
She thus urges consumers to adhere to product safety by ensuring that the product packaging is sealed and intact before use.
“Do not use the product if the seal is compromised. Store the product as recommended on the label, and wash hands and utensils before handling the product.”
She also advises for safe transportation of products.
“Ensure perishable products are safely transported after purchase to maintain product integrity, and always check the expiration date on the label when purchasing products.”
In the photo: A laboratory in South Africa says that Top Score instant porridge is safe to eat.
