Beware of unfit canned ackee

Nearly 40 cases of processed ackee not fit for consumption mysteriously vanished from a factory in St Elizabeth on Monday, prompting the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) to put the public on alert.

However, the BSJ admitted yesterday that the cases were not coded so tracing them would be difficult.

"The Bureau of Standards Jamaica is cautioning members of the public, particularly retailers and hoteliers, to be on the alert when purchasing ackees in brine," the regulatory agency said.

The missing ackees were packaged by Santa Cruz Processors in Braes River, St Elizabeth, which failed a recent inspection by the BSJ.

In a statement yesterday, the BSJ said Santa Cruz Processors had been found to be operating in violation of the Processed Foods Act.

"The company is, therefore, not authorised to process canned ackees in brine for distribution or sale, and its products are unsafe for consumption and should not be traded," the bureau warned.

Notice of detention

This led the BSJ to confiscate all the ackee found at the factory. They were stickered with a notice of detention, but were gone by the time the BSJ officers returned.

"These products are not coded or tested, and the Bureau of Standards Jamaica cannot guarantee their wholesomeness," the BSJ statement said.

A senior official at the BSJ also disclosed Santa Cruz Processors had been operating illegally for several months.

As a result, the BSJ official said it was difficult to say how much of the unfit ackees had been going around.

"They do contract packaging, meaning that people buy from them and repackage the ackee with their own labels," the BSJ official explained.

Attempts to contact Santa Cruz Processors up to late yesterday evening proved futile. The BSJ has also been unable to contact the organisation.