Because of foreign exchange limitations the main priority is now to provide the amount required in the ration with much less regard for quality. Many dry foods sold in the market at the present time may thus be contaminated with aflatoxin and other mycotoxins and the public health authorities often do not have the facilities and transportation to perform adequate testing. One of the few growth areas in production is for date syrup which, because of the nonavailability of sugar for sweets, is sold widely as a substitute for jams and preserves. Additional problems for food production from small manufacturers in the private sector lie in poor quality control and the increasing use of non-food grade materials for food use. The latter can include emulsifiers, thickeners, dyes and other chemicals.
Regulations are unable to be enforced and major food safety hazards exist.
FAO help may be needed in re-establishing adequate mechanisms for food safety. These problems, while real, can only have low priority when the Government is faced with the far more basic task of providing a daily ration of food to meet food energy needs.