Food safety in Kinshasa: Rigorous controls in supermarkets contrast with precarious conditions in markets

Food safety is a significant concern in Kinshasa, particularly as the world observes the World Food Safety Day on June 7. The approach to ensuring food quality varies drastically across the capital's supply points.

Supermarkets in Kinshasa maintain rigorous control mechanisms, promptly removing expired products. A supermarket employee explained the process for non-compliant items: "The first thing we do when we find a product unfit for consumption in an aisle is to remove it immediately. We then present it to our managers who, after verification, validate it by signing it before placing it in storage. This procedure is called 'damage.'"

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The first thing we do when we find a product unfit for consumption in an aisle is to remove it immediately. We then present it to our managers who, after verification, validate it by signing it before placing it in storage. This procedure is called "damage."

However, popular markets often struggle with insufficient hygiene conditions, according to both vendors and consumers. Financial precarity can push households to consume spoiled goods. One customer at the UPN market recounted a difficult experience after buying spoiled fish: "For lack of means, I thought, 'I'll prepare it anyway, it surely won't cause any problems.' But after eating it, we suffered the consequences: stomach pains, diarrhea, and vomiting. It was truly difficult."

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For lack of means, I thought, "I'll prepare it anyway, it surely won't cause any problems." But after eating it, we suffered the consequences: stomach pains, diarrhea, and vomiting. It was truly difficult.

The general state of market premises also deters buyers. At the Selembao market, recurring unsanitary conditions negatively impact vendors' revenue. "The people who come to us regularly are our loyal customers. However, some sometimes refuse to buy here, at the Selembao market, because they say it's too dirty and there's mud everywhere," noted a local vendor.

Health experts reiterate that vigilance during purchases and strict adherence to hygiene rules are the primary means of preventing foodborne illnesses.

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The people who come to us regularly are our loyal customers. However, some sometimes refuse to buy here, at the Selembao market, because they say it's too dirty and there's mud everywhere.