Food service bags in Cyprus don’t pass muster

Laboratory tests on food delivery transport bags in Cyprus detected the presence of pathogens that can cause food poisoning, according to the Cyprus Consumers’ Association, which is calling for stricter hygiene controls across the fast-growing delivery sector.

The president of the association, Marios Drousiotis, told the Cyprus News Agency that the findings have raised serious concerns about how food is being handled after it leaves restaurants and before it reaches consumers’ doors.

He said the association received complaints from the public about the cleanliness of food transport boxes used in delivery vehicles, with some consumers reporting that the containers appeared dirty. “You see the outside, but you don’t know what’s happening inside,” Drousiotis said, adding that it is reasonable to assume hygiene issues may extend beyond what is visible.

Following the complaints, the association contacted the authority responsible for food safety inspections, which, according to Drousiotis, was already aware of the issue and said it would begin checks. He noted that this communication took place before a recent food poisoning incident at a wedding reception in Limassol.