Yemen bans contaminated Brazilian sugar amid health warnings

Yemeni journalist Fathi bin Lazraq warned that a Brazilian white‑crystalline sugar imported into Yemen is contaminated with toxic heavy metals, including lead, arsenic and copper. Laboratory tests showed the product, marked with the GRUPO BAZAN label and produced by Usina Bela Vista, exceeds safety limits.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade seized 2,400 50‑kg bags in Taiz and an additional 876 bags in other governorates after a nationwide alert. Authorities have ordered the withdrawal of all suspect sugar from markets, urged traders and consumers not to buy or store it, and referred violations to the prosecutor’s office. The contaminated batches entered Yemen through the port of Mukalla and have been found in markets from Hadhramaut to Aden, prompting calls for a thorough investigation and accountability for importers and regulators.