The Health Ministry has confiscated around 400 tonnes of condemned food worth $30m to date.

Ministry spokesperson Peni Namotu says the sale of condemned food has been an issue since the floods.

Namotu says apart from confiscated flood damaged food, they are also keeping an eye on food scavengers.

“What we have done is that we see that these food are escorted by the Police and also the Military and to be buried in secrecy to prevent scavenging of food. We are strengthening the security system at the dumping site at the same time we see that what is being sold in the supermarket is safe to be consumed.”

Namotu adds scrap metal companies are also prohibited from entering dumping sites during the state of natural disaster.