Evaluating compliance with local and International Food Labelling Standards in urban Tanzania: a cross-sectional study of pre-packaged snacks in Dar Es Salaam.

BACKGROUND: Urbanization influences food culture, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where there is an increasing consumption of processed and pre-packaged foods. This shift is contributing to a rise in non-communicable diseases. Food labelling standards are crucial for regulating manufacturing practices and helping consumers make healthy food choices. We aimed to assess the compliance of local and imported pre-packaged snacks with Tanzanian and international labelling standards in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 snack products. A checklist based on Tanzanian and Codex labelling standards was used to evaluate adherence. We also examined factors influencing adherence, such as product origin, price, category, purchase location, and package size. RESULTS: The majority of the snacks demonstrated partial adherence to Tanzania (n = 97; 54%) and International (Codex) (n = 120; 67%) labelling standards. Imported products showed significantly better adherence to both Tanzanian (n = 46; 53%) and international (n = 42; 48%) standards. Notably, more than half (n = 110; 66.7%) of the products used English for labelling, and infrequently (n = 74; 41.4%) used the recommended World Health Organization Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling. Product category, origin, and package size were significantly associated with higher levels of international standard adherence (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The inadequate adherence to mandatory labelling standards and the scarce use of Swahili and FoPL highlight the need to strengthen labelling practices and potential challenges faced by consumers in understanding nutritional information. Thus, strengthening and emphasizing good labelling practices are urgently needed as we seek to address diet-related noncommunicable diseases.

Tunga penetrans causing a rapidly progressing foot ulcer in a patient with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Tungiasis is a parasitic disease resulting from infestation by a female flea Tunga penetrans. The parasites are endemic in the tropics and can infect patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Augmented by uncontrolled hyperglycemia and pre-existing neuropathy, the parasite may trigger a locally spreading inflammation, which may aggravate the trauma introduced during its extraction, leading into a rapidly progressing foot ulcer. To the best of our knowledge, no such cases in patients with type 2 diabetes have ever been published from Tanzania and likely none worldwide. This case report shows that, in diabetic patients, the wound resulting from the extraction of T. penetrans may get infected and aggravated by the ongoing inflammatory reaction, rapidly evolve into limb-threatening condition and mortality. Preventive measures are necessary and should be emphasized in patients with DM. Studies are needed to increase our understanding of the pathophysiology, proper management and sequalae of ulcers of this nature.