Egyptian security forces arrested an employeee at Heinz Egypt, the maker of the famous ketchup brand, after seizing tonnes of expired products at a company factory, a security source has said.
Following complaints about the manufacturer after a video purportedly showing below-standard tomato processing at a Heinz factory went viral on social media, security forces on Sunday impounded 62 tonnes of “rotten and expired” products at one of the company’s factories in 6 October city, the source added.
An official at the company, identified only as Medhat, was arrested.
The company had on Sunday described the circulating video as “misleading” and “edited.”
The footage shows two men throwing piles of tomato into an outdoor machine. The tomatoes did not appear to have been sorted or inspected beforehand.
The video has angered many social media users who have questioned the quality of tomato used and expressed concerns over the level of hygiene maintained in the factories.
Heinz Egypt, a condiment market leader, said in a statement the ‘edited footage neglects some processing stages, but did not deny it was at one of its factories
The company said in the statement that it applies the highest production standards and uses “high-quality, clean” tomatoes, adding that it is committed to ensuring the safety of its consumers.