Eyyub Huseynov: food safety situation is not prosperous in Azerbaijan

The situation of food security in Azerbaijan is not safe. Indirect evidence of this is  widely ramified network of pharmacies that operate in shifts, queues at clinics, numerous traveling abroad for treatment, rejuvenation of cancer and other diseases. Such an opinion expressed  in an interview Cətin sual  of the Turan agency the head of the Society of Free Consumers Eyyub Huseynov.

In the absence of food safety law, institute an independent examination, not recognizing as a legal document the examination  made abroad and independent structures, the small number of organizations protecting the rights of consumers, one cannot  speak of a prosperous situation with the provision of healthy safe food.

According to Huseynov, more than 800 goods and services are sold to the population without quality certificates. In general, 80 percent of products sold in Azerbaijan are not accompanied by the quality of the documents that must be submitted, if requested by the consumer.

 Since 2011 the Society of Free Consumers  has been implementing  a USAID (US Agency for International Development)  project on consumer protection. The project was developed by "Food safety mark", which was first registered in Azerbaijan. However, to date only 6 companies have been awarded this mark.  Huseynov says  that the world's developed countries are the countries  where consumers interests’ are  above the interests of business.

 In 1962 at the  Congress John F.Kennedy said that "we are all consumers, and our voice must be heard in the highest authorities." According to Huseynov,  in Azerbaijan in cases of mass food poisoning of people  manufacturers are  never punished.  In the best case,  celebrations house where the poisoning occurred is blamed. That is alleged that people were poisoned by food prepared in the celebrations houses.

For otherwise the manufacturer will present a health certificate issued by the Ministry of Health and responsibility for poisoning will share this government agency.

 There is a conflict of  interest in Azerbaijan in this sphere: The Ministry of Health is the authority issuing the certificate of quality and at the same time the structure protecting  public health.

In Azerbaijan, statistics of food poisoning is by  250 times less than the world total. In the USA, for example,  about 5,000 people die each year  from food poisoning. In Azerbaijan, as a rule, it is guilty poisoned himself, who "kept the bad foods", "very poorly prepared food" and others.

"There is a paradoxical situation. In the context of weak control over the quality of the products, according to official statistics in Azerbaijan are subjected to poisoning fewer people than in the countries with a strong system of protection of rights of consumers," said Huseynov.

He's has been protecting the rights of consumers  for  20 years, and still no cases of compensation for the poisoning even in cases of  consumer's death has been registered.

Huseynov considers that this situation will continue until the country will not be an independent body issuing the certificate of quality.

Among the most egregious cases of ignoring the health Huseynov called the release of cigarettes without filter, such as "Sheki"  and "Karvan". Although the production of such tobacco products, causing lung cancer is prohibited. Hygiene standards do not meet the 80 percentpoints where doner are sold. 

"Sweet sugar” sold in stores is not  useful for patients with diabetes, but also detrimental to them.

Another fraud is  the sale of so-called "almond oils" to improve the facial skin, or means by "hair raising". In agricultural products, such as potatoes, onions, watermelons, strawberries, often reveals the presence of nitrates above the norm of 50 percent. It is a problem that the courts do not recognize as legal documents the results of an independent examination, that causes a big problem. " That is why we lose the courts.. However, due to high consumer confidence in our work, these products are still taken off the market because people simply boycotted them," said the head of the Consumer Protection Society. 

Huseynov also noted the lack of an effective phytosanitary and veterinary control at customs points.  He  represented  the  imported genetically modified foods in the laboratory State Customs Committee and the State Committee on metrology, standards. The first gave the conclusion about the absence of quality problems. The second stated that the product is genetically modified.

Huseynov also noted that despite the ban on sale of non-iodized salt which is not  recommended, even for animals, such product is sold in the retail network. Huseynov considers it important to enlighten  consumers. "Consumers should boycott the bad goods, to fight for their rights. The policy  of should change: state must face the consumers," said Huseynov. –03b06-