Food safety spot checks uncover 39 violations at Brussels-Midi market

A food safety check at the Midi market in Brussels uncovered 39 breaches among 54 stallholders.

The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) carried out a major inspection operation at the Midi market, Bruzz reports.

“We had to impose measures on more than seven out of 10 traders,” the FASFC announced.

The infringements were mainly minor ones, and 34 vendors escaped with only a warning.

“This concerns, for example, the absence of a facility for washing hands, or that the allergens contained in the products were not communicated to the consumer,” said FASFC spokeswoman Hélène Bonte.

“With some minor interventions, they can put that right. A facility to wash hands does not have to be a real sanitary facility. A water bottle with a tap, some soap and paper towels will suffice. There were also a number of traders who did not have the correct authorisation.”

A total of five official reports were drawn up for what Bonte described as “the more serious infringements, where food safety is really compromised”.

Those largely involve problems with food temperatures.

Market vendors can expect another food inspector in a few weeks to check whether the measures imposed have been met.