Port Said Port received a Russian 30,000-ton wheat shipment on May 13 onboard steamer Ginas. Preliminary analysis indicated that the shipment contains dead insects, an official source in the port said. Speaking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, the source said a sample was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture's Plant Pathology Laboratories for examination to see if the wheat was carcinogenic or not. The final result has not been announced.
In Dakahlia, the Local Council's recent meeting uncovered that the Ministry of Health's laboratories confirmed that some mills in Dakahlia received large quantities of flour unfit for human use and not in conformity with the health specifications and conditions.
Mohammed Shafiq al-Agami, a member in the council, said the Port Said Supply Directorate made "secret" reports of irregularities in Sandoub and al-Taweel mills, which produce flour to bakeries. These reports say that the flour is not fit for human use, as it does not meet the specifications of the local wheat (82%). However, mills are still producing wheat, which is used in making bread.
Al-Agami said he filed an urgent statement during the meeting in which he said he had documents confirming that large quantities of flour produced by the Dakahlia mills are not fit for human consumption and did not meet standards. The produced wheat is "red" and does not fit for human consumption according to the secret sample No. 28 which was taken last April 28. The same result was reached after analyzing samples No. 138, 189 and 170-173 and the samples 201-204. These samples were taken from Al-Taweel Mills, Mansoura. Samples No. 95-104 and 107 and 119-128 and 139-148 were taken from Sandoub Mills and revealed the same result.
Al-Agami called for urgent investigation into the incident and forming a neutral committee to examine and analyze the samples of wheat and produced flour. He also called for closing mills if it was proven that the samples were bad because this poses danger to public health. He added that Port Said Health Directorate has been informed of the incident to respond to the statement.
