TANZANIA – Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has encouraged entrepreneurs to make efficient use of the 45th Dar es Salaam International Trade fair (DIFT) as it will educate them on various services, quality assurance and goods certification and registration of food business premises.

The bureau will provide various services to entrepreneurs during the two weeks exhibitions organized by Tanzania Trade Development Authority (Tan Trade) taking place at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere grounds along Kilwa road.

“During the trade fair, TBS will offer registration of business premises to be followed by inspections of food and cosmetic premises before being issued with the permit in one day,” said TBS Marketing Officer, Gladness Kaseka.

She has added that visitors to the TBS pavilion will be provided with education on science of measurements, laboratory procedures and cost of testing samples.

 Ms. Kaseka mentioned the bureau will train on how to purchase standards and avail important information regarding export goods to avoid impediments.

This years’ international trade fair will serve as a platform for the people to air their views on standards.

TBS will also update the public on the new obligation implemented by the bureau on the registration of food that was formerly carried out by the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA).

The Finance Act No 8 of 2019 mandates TBS to manage registration of food, cafes and hotels which was earlier carried out by the former TFDA.

The enforcement of the Act started in July 2019, hence compelled sellers and manufacturers of food to register their products.

According to Tanzania Daily news, TBS recently destroyed various food unfit for human consumption, confiscated during inspections undertaken in different parts of Arusha and neighboring regions.

TBS and plastic packaging regulations

Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has admonished manufacturers, importers and distributors of plastic packaging materials and alternative bags to comply with quality standard requirements to avoid introducing low quality goods into the local market.

This was done during the bureaus training on quality standard requirements on plastic packaging materials and alternative materials.

“We have brought together manufacturers, importers and distributors of plastic packaging and alternative materials to discuss on how they can best comply with the requirements and abide by the rules and regulations to protect the environment and consumers,” Joseph Ismail, TBS lake zone manager said.

TBS stressed they should abide by laws and regulations guiding the production and importation of the materials.

Lack of knowledge on quality standards requirements in producing such goods and also on laws and regulations guiding their importation is detrimental to consumer health.

On his part, TBS quality officer, Johnson Kiwia said some dishonest importers have started importing alternative bags of poor quality into the market, thus raising serious complaints from users.

He added that importers are importing lighter alternative bags which are below the grams per square meter (GSM) 70 as per quality requirements, thus giving consumers low quality goods that do not conform to the value for money.

Kurwijila Athumani, one of the stakeholders, said that the training had helped them understand laws and regulations needed before producing, importing, and distributing packaging goods allowed into the market.