Oral Question
274/2025 Hon. Jone Usamate to ask the Minister for Health and Medical Services – Can the Minister update Parliament on what are Health Inspectors doing about ensuring that the meat sold in supermarkets meets quality criteria.
Oral Response:
Mr. Speaker,
- I am thankful for this opportunity to update the Parliament on the crucial role of our health inspectors in ensuring that the meat sold in supermarkets meets the established quality criteria.
- The roles of the health inspectors are stipulated under the Food Safety Act 2003 and the Food Safety Regulations 2009, alongside relevant Codex-based national standards. These laws and standards aim to safeguard public health by ensuring that meat products are safe, wholesome, and of high quality.
- To achieve this, health inspectors engage in a variety of activities:
Routine Inspection of Supermarkets and Cold Storage Facilities; Health Inspectors from the Ministry and the Municipal Council conduct scheduled and unannounced inspections to verify that all meat products are sourced from approved suppliers, properly labelled, stored at correct temperatures, and displayed in sanitary conditions.
- Monitoring of Meat Handling, Processing, and Display; Inspectors check that meat is handled hygienically, free from contamination, and protected from temperature abuse. This includes verification of expiry dates, packaging integrity, and compliance with hygiene protocols by staff.
- Verification of Import Compliance; For imported meat products, the Ministry through the Food Unit ensures that all consignments undergo border verification, including document checks, inspection, and sampling when required. This ensures products entering Fiji meet international safety requirements.
- Sampling and Laboratory Analysis; When necessary, inspectors collect samples for microbiological and chemical testing to confirm that meat products meet the prescribed standards for safety, quality, and wholesomeness.
- Enforcement Actions : In instances of non-compliance, our health inspectors have the authority to take necessary enforcement actions. This may involve issuing improvement notices, seizing unsafe meat, suspending operations, or initiating legal proceedings under the Food Safety Act. Over the last three years, from 2023 to March this year, we have prosecuted 35 cases, issuing fines totalling approximately $25,000. The current Act is quite limited in its scope for penalising offenders, as it does not include provisions for enforcing fixed penalties or spot fines. As a result, cases can only be prosecuted in a court of law, a process that can take months or even years. The Ministry is currently reviewing this Act with the aim of introducing spot fines for these offences.
Number of Prosecuted Cases and Fines:
In the last two years, 35 cases have been prosecuted by health inspectors from both the Health Subdivisions and the Food Unit. The fines incurred total approximately $25,000 and contribute to Consolidated Funds, not directly to the Ministry.
The summary of offences includes:
- Operating Without a License (Food Safety Act Schedule 2 – 16(1)(2)): 32 cases were reported against various food premises including coffee shops, takeaways, supermarkets, dairy shops, and street food vendors, leading to fines totaling $20,000.
- Selling, Preparing, Packing, or Conveying Food Under Insanitary Conditions (Food Safety Act Schedule 2 – 3(1), 10(1)): 3 cases were identified, further emphasising the need for stringent oversight and adherence to safety standards in retail and catering operations.
- I am proud to report that within the last fiscal year alone, we conducted inspections of over 2,600 food establishments. These inspections resulted in the issuance of 372 abatement notices and 6 closing orders, illustrating our commitment to upholding health standards.
- Review of Food Safety Act: We are finalising the review processes, which are essential to address emerging risks, evolving food systems, and gaps in regulatory enforcement. It will ensure the legal framework remains fit for purpose, safeguarding public health while supporting economic development.
- Capacity Building and Public Awareness: Furthermore, we continue to enhance our inspectors’ training and promote food safety standards through collaboration with food business operators and public awareness campaigns that encourage informed consumer choices.
- Moreover, we are revitalizing our joint meat surveillance program with the Ministry of Agriculture, enhancing our oversight of meat safety.
- As we look to the future, we are excited about the new laboratory facility at the CDC, which is set to enhance our testing capacity significantly. Achieving ISO standardization and accreditation is a priority as we aim for excellence in food safety testing. Until this is realized, we are grateful for the collaboration with the IAS Lab at the University of the South Pacific and the Koronivia Lab.
- Additionally, we recognize the importance of training our Health Inspectors as prosecutors. With support from the World Health Organization, we will resume vital training sessions this December, facilitated by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- Planned Surveillance Operations: Our approach includes integrated surveillance operations and collaboration with local municipalities, the Fijian Commerce Commission, and other stakeholders to strengthen our food safety oversight.
- In summary, our health inspectors are fully engaged in a comprehensive strategy to ensure that the meat available in supermarkets meets rigorous quality criteria. We remain committed to protecting public health and ensuring the highest standards of food safety.
- Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the support of this Parliament as we strive to uphold the health and well-being of our citizens.
APPENDIX
No Of Prosecuted Cases & Fines
- A Total of 35 Cases Prosecuted by the Health Inspectors in the Health Subdivisions and the Food Unit and this started in the last two years
- Fines approximately at $25,000.00 which goes to the Consolidated Funds and not to the Ministry as per summary blow:.
| Type of Offense Committed | No of Cases | Types of Food Premises Prosecuted | Approximate Fines Collected |
| Food Safety Act Schedule 2 -16(1) (2) Operating Without a License | 32 | Coffee Shop Takeaway & Retail Supermarkets Dairy Shops Takeaway Street Food Vendors | $20,000 |
| Food Safety Act Schedule 2 – 3 (1), 10(1) Selling, preparing, packing, keeping or conveying for sale any food under insanitary conditions that might render the food injurious or dangerous to health; | 3 | Retail & Catering Supermarkets |
Cases per Division
| Subdivision | No of Food Cases |
| Central Division(including Food Unit) | 29 |
| Northern Division Surveillance | 3 |
| Western Division | 3 |
| Eastern Division | – |
No Of Surveillance Conducted Last Fiscial Year
| Operation Type | No of Food Establishment Inspected | No of Abatement Notice Issued | Closing Order Issued |
| Central Division | 1322 | 298 | 1 |
| Northern Division Surveillance | 757 | 35 | 2 |
| Western Division | 587 | 66 | 5 |
| Eastern Division | 34 | 6 | – |
| TOTAL | 2630 | 372 | 6 |
Note: Surveillance doesn’t cover Licensing Inspection, Restaurant Grading and Annual Food Auditing for Food Manufacturing Premises.