2024-07-31 21:48:24
Arcsa did not have the capacity to verify food contamination with heavy metals, according to the Assembly Commission.
The Health Commission of the Assembly approved this Friday, July 5, 2024, a report on the contamination of food with heavy metals in Ecuador, which will be sent to the Attorney General’s Office for further investigations.
Among its conclusions is that the National Agency for Regulation, Control and Sanitary Surveillance (Arcsa) “did not have the technical, logistical, budgetary and organizational capacity to adequately fulfill its responsibility to safeguard the food safety of Ecuadorians.” The report was approved with nine votes in favor of the assembly members who make up this Commission, after a series of appearances, requests for information and a field visit to Arcsa laboratories.
The legislative committee considers that lead contamination in food is a serious problem that must be treated urgently, implementing the necessary measures to detect any type of contamination early, according to a statement from the Assembly.
Hence, it recommends, among other aspects, that the report be brought to the attention of the State Attorney General’s Office, “in order to initiate an investigation into the possible commission of the crime of contamination of substances intended for human consumption” #food
By: PRIMICIAS