Tang safe for consumption, Qatar's health council says (updated)

Tang display at Lulu Hypermarket in Al Gharafa

Updated at 7:30am on Monday, June 15 to include SCH’s clearance of Tang.

With reporting from Scherry Bloul and Zac Schroedl

After some supermarkets in Qatar were told to remove tubs of the fruit-flavored drink Tang from their shelves, the state’s Supreme Council of Health (SCH) has confirmed it is safe to consume.

In a statement released late Sunday night, the SCH said:

“The Central Food Laboratory of SCH received samples of the product collected by the bodies concerned last Friday. All the stocks available in the market were checked at the entry points and huge amount of samples were collected as per directives of SCH ahead of Ramadan. The tests and analysis have shown that all the bags are safe and meet GCC specifications.”

Over the weekend, the SCH had announced in Arabic on Twitter and Facebook that samples of the drink have been taken from some hypermarkets in Qatar for tests at its central laboratory.

1) استلمت المختبرات المركزية بالأعلى للصحة عينات من منتج #تانج جمعتها الجهات المختصة الأخرى @Hassan_alsai

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) June 13, 2015

2) وجاري تحليلها وسيتم اعلان النتائج فور صدورها @Hassan_alsai #تانج

— وزارة الصحة العامة (@MOPHQatar) June 13, 2015

Translation: “The central laboratories at the Supreme Council of Health has received samples of the product Tang, which were collected by other authorities. They are being tested and the results will be announced once these are confirmed.”

The SCH did not state the reason for the tests, but appears to be responding to concerns on social media about possible contamination, after people posted images of holes in the foil security seal that covers the lids of the tubs.

Stores’ response

Speaking to Doha News, a manager of the Al Rayyan branch of Family Food Center (FFC) said that authorities ordered them to remove around 30 cans of the fruit-flavored drink from its shelves over the weekend amid concerns over “stickers on the lid.”

They are currently being kept in a storage room until later today, the manager said, when the SCH is expected to issue the results of its tests.

Meanwhile, a manager at Megamart’s branch at The Center said it did not stock tubs of Tang, but it is still selling 84g sachets of the powdered drink.

The Peninsula reported that municipality inspectors visited a branch of a “leading supermarket” on Friday and asked them to remove all stocks of the product pending lab testing.

“They didn’t clearly explain the reason but showed something on the lid, which was not clear to our staff,” the unnamed staffer is quoted as saying.

However, other hypermarkets have said they are still selling the drink.

A representative of Lulu Gharafa told Doha News this morning that the store had not been told to remove Tang. Tubs of the drink could be seen on the shelves for public sale last night.

Tang concerns

Tang is a powdered drink that comes in different fruit flavors and has been around for more than 50 years.

The product, now owned by North American multinational confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate Mondelez International, is renowned for being very high in sugar.

Concerns about contamination prompted Tang Arabia to post a message and video on its Facebook page advising consumers that the “hole” is not accidental. The “one-way valve” allows air that could build up in the container when it is transported to safely escape, preventing the package from being distorted or bursting.