The Portimão City Council guarantees that the competent authorities are already analyzing samples of the fish served in the canteen of the Escola Básica e Secundária da Bemposta, following the images "widely circulated on social media, supposedly alluding to a meal served in the cafeteria" of this school, where There appear to be maggots in a piece of fried fish.
According to the municipality of Portimão, which became public due to the “social alarm generated”, the incident in question “was only known to the school and the municipality many hours after it had supposedly happened, taking the management of the school establishment and the cafeteria employees themselves, who only found out about the case on the evening of that same day, and through social media».
It also ensured that the Bemposta Primary and Secondary School complies with all hygiene and food safety rules.
«According to information from the school, as soon as the incident became known, all procedures defined and associated with situations of this kind were activated. It is also reported that the Health Authority, which promptly went to the location, collected samples of the deep-frozen fish and the fish that was prepared and served on the day of the reported occurrence», revealed the Chamber.
This position of the Chamber contradicts the allegation of the PSD councilors in the Portimão Chamber, who speak of a "questionable approach" by the municipal executive to this situation, "especially considering the size of the potential public health problem, since the Health Delegate was present at the site, although he was unable to gain access to the allegedly contaminated fish”.
Portimão City Council not only ensures that the fish was collected, but also points out that «the Health Delegation reported that in a first investigation, no signs of the presence of foreign bodies were detected, specifically those shown in the photographs. However, the sample collected is being analyzed at the Laura Ayres Regional Public Health Laboratory».
«The health authorities had access to all samples of the food prepared that day, according to the rules defined in HACCP, and the situation has already been communicated to ASAE», reinforced the municipality.
The municipal executive makes a point of highlighting that he sent the images to the General Veterinary Directorate, which, after analyzing them, said that «(…) any parasite in the fish did not create any danger to public health, since it was a frozen product and that it was subjected to high frying temperatures».
The situation is “being monitored in the Pediatrics Department of the Portimão Hospital, and there are no records of food poisoning problems associated with this event”, added the municipality.
In the note sent to the newsrooms, those elected by the PSD in the Portimão Chamber launch strong criticisms of the municipal executive, for the way it is conducting the process.
For PSD Portimão, «a responsible and diligent approach would require the immediate establishment of an internal investigation to investigate food processing procedures in the canteen, including assessing the state of freezing and refrigeration equipment, as well as compliance with hygiene conditions of the kitchen with current legal standards».
"Contrary to this, the executive seems more interested in minimizing the problem and casting doubt on the veracity of the facts presented, neglecting issues related to public health, which should be the community's main concern", they accuse.
The Social Democrats also say that they will ask the General Inspectorate of Education and Science (IGEC) "to open an inquiry to clarify the events in a transparent, responsible and committed way with public health and the well-being of the school community." .
The Portimão City Council, for its part, calls for «the serenity, critical sense and political responsibility of and for the local community, calling for the confirmation of the facts before sharing information that, often incorrectly, circulates on social media» .
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