Newsroom
A laboratory test on food delivery transport bags in Cyprus has detected the presence of pathogenic organisms that can cause food poisoning, according to the Cyprus Consumers’ Association, which is now calling for stricter hygiene controls across the fast-growing delivery sector.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Association President Marios Drousiotis said the findings raise 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 Health Services, 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 contact took place before a recent food poisoning incident at a wedding reception in Limassol, which has since added urgency to the broader discussion around food safety.
To better understand the risks, the Consumers’ Association carried out its own laboratory tests on two food transport bags, using an accredited laboratory. The results, according to Drousiotis, showed the presence of three different pathogenic organisms.
“The conclusion was that, from a hygiene point of view, the transport conditions are unacceptable,” he said.
He stressed that the association does not have enforcement powers but carried out the test to verify concerns raised by consumers.
Following the findings, the Health Services reportedly sent guidance to the Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB), advising food distribution companies on hygiene compliance measures.
Drousiotis said the issue involves a chain of responsibility that includes food producers, delivery platforms, and individual couriers.
He explained that couriers typically do not work directly for the platforms shown on food packaging but are instead contracted independently, with platforms outsourcing delivery services.
According to him, primary responsibility lies with delivery platforms, followed by couriers, and then food producers.
While some argue that packaged food reduces the risk of contamination, Drousiotis warned that packaging does not eliminate it.
“The fact that food is sealed does not remove the risk of food poisoning. It only reduces it,” he said.
He added that delivery bags must be washed and disinfected regularly but said compliance is often inconsistent.
“The companies don’t always give this the attention it deserves,” he said, suggesting that better oversight could be enforced if platforms strictly required hygiene standards from couriers.
The Consumers’ Association said it expects the issue to gain further attention following public concern and recent incidents, stressing that the results of its tests show the need for tighter controls in a sector that has rapidly expanded in Cyprus in recent years.
