Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) has cautioned that the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) pre-certification mark on some products must follow a checkup by the bureau, otherwise the mark alone may be a health hazard, especially on food products.

“We want assurance from the bureau that any company handling products, especially edible products has the right processing equipment which produces quality products,” said Cama executive director John Kapito. “We have been monitoring this issue for some time and we feel MBS needs to handle this issue with urgency.”

Last April, MBS issued 134 certificates for various firms, approving them to trade. The development enabled the various business entities to operate with ease, knowing that the seal and certification by MBS is a requirement by keen consumers.

In response to Cama, MBS spokesperson Annie Maliha said the bureau conducts certification evaluations do happen so the public should not worry of products with pre-certification status.

“A product may be pre-certified, but after a next visit, we may find that it is not complying with the standards. In view of this, drastic measures are taken in line with our standard procedure,” said Maliha