The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has clarified that a video about Snickers chocolates, which is circulating on social media, should be considered a rumour as it is an old video whose contents are not relevant now.
The MoPH said in a statement yesterday that the video shows something that happened back in 2016. Necessary action was taken at that time in view of a recall over the possibility of some Snickers bars having plastic pieces in them, it noted, adding that a statement was also issued in this connection.
The video apparently shows that officials in Gaza are destroying large quantities of Snickers bars in response to the recall. It has resurfaced after two years and has been doing the rounds of social media of late, with some people apparently mistaking it for a new development.
In February 2016, the MoPH had said it had taken all the necessary measures to ensure that the local market was free from chocolate products of Mars Incorporated (including Snickers), produced in the Netherlands, which were said to contain plastic pieces.
Quoting official statements from Mars Incorporated in the GCC region and the local distributor of the company in Qatar, the MoPH had said none of the affected products was distributed in the local market.
On its part, Mars Gulf had said it was an isolated incident, limited to certain products made in the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, the ministry yesterday stressed its keenness to ensure the highest standards of food safety in the country in co-operation with the entities concerned.