Porridge cleared of blame

POISONING: NAMIBIAN MANUFACTURER 'NOT RESPONSIBLE' FOR CHILDREN'S DEATHS

- Jarryd Westerdale

Namibian food manufacturer will be allowed to sell its porridge product in South Africa again after it was cleared of culpability in a food poisoning incident.

Namib Mills' Top Score vanilla instant porridge was removed from shelves in late September after it was blamed for the deaths of three children in East London, Eastern Cape.

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) said last week a hold on the sale of the product had been lifted after tests showed the product contained no harmful chemicals.

Four children were taken to hospital from Mdantsane on the morning of 28 September after having consumed the porridge the previous evening.

The three dead victims - two from the same household - were aged between one and four. The fourth patient, a seven-year-old child, was later discharged in a stable condition.