Listeriosis: Consumer Commission calls for disposal plan
The National Consumer Commission says top of the agenda in today's meeting with companies that produce cold meat products implicated in the listeriosis outbreak will be the recall, product returns and disposal strategy for consumers.
Spokesperson Trevor Hattingh says they are meeting with Tiger Brands and RCL Foods under which Enterprise and Rainbow Chicken fall respectively.
Hattingh says they want to ensure the outbreak doesn't happen again.
"Right now, we want to appeal to South Africans to avoid ready to eat food products. If you have anything in your fridge - please isolate these products," Hattingh said.
Hattingh says they'll also meet with RCL food's Rainbow Chicken later.
It's after the shock news that the source of the country's deadly Listeria outbreak has been traced to an Enterprise polony factory in Polokwane. Hattingh says they also need to establish how they're going to dispose of the meat.
"There has to be a disposal plan and we are not going to accept anything other incineration. So all of these products need to be brought back. There need to be two plans here, a disposal and recall plan," he said.
Pick n Pay and Checkers are giving customers full refunds even if they don't have a receipt.
ALSO READ: LISTEN: Remove any cold meat products, consumers told
Woolworths says it's removing all products linked to the affected brands - it's also accepting returns.
Meanwhile - Bluff Meat Supply has released a statement saying that since the outbreak, it's increased testing of its cold meat products.
It says none of its manufacturing facilities have tested positive for listeria or related strains. The outbreak has has killed at least 180 people.
For more on this and other developing stories, here's your latest Newswatch bulletin.