The Nature Protection Service SEPRONA, based in Playa de Las Américas, in collaboration with the Canary Health Service, has closed a supermarket located in the Las Chafiras industrial park in Tenerife. During a routine inspection, authorities detected 25 tons of food unfit for human consumption, exposed for sale and posing a grave risk to consumer health.
The owner of the establishment has been charged with a crime against public health and will face an administrative sanction for multiple irregularities detected in the handling of food products.
Products in unsanitary conditions
In the operation, which lasted more than five hours, inspectors found foods such as meats, cans, manufactured goods, and frozen fish in severely unsanitary conditions. Many of these products:
- Lacked labeling indicating their origin or composition.
- Were expired or showed signs of damage due to a break in the cold chain.
Among the findings were portions of red tuna weighing two to three kilograms that were unlabelled, along with whole pieces of this species stored in a cold chamber. The supermarket operator could not provide documents proving the legal origin of these products.
Following the inspection, technicians from the Canary Health Service verified that all seized merchandise was inappropriate for human consumption. The products were removed from the establishment for destruction by an authorized waste manager.
This case illustrates the vigilance of local authorities in upholding food safety standards and protecting public health. It also highlights the critical role of traceability and cold chain integrity in markets serving residents and visitors alike. The enforcement actions in Tenerife echo similar expectations in North America, where regulators emphasize accurate labeling, origin verification, temperature control, and responsible disposal of goods that fail safety checks.
Canary Islands authorities work with public health partners to trace suppliers, assess risk, and ensure that noncompliant products are promptly removed from shelves. Procedures typically involve foreclosing the store, launching administrative proceedings, and supervising the destruction of unsafe items by accredited waste managers. The ultimate aim is to prevent harm to consumers and to maintain trust in the food supply chain.
Retailers and consumers are reminded that food safety requires constant attention to labeling, origin documentation, and the integrity of the cold chain from processing to sale. Violations are taken seriously because even small lapses can lead to illness. This incident shows how enforcement actions can deter risky practices and promote better compliance across the market sector.
Residents and visitors in Tenerife can expect continued inspections, particularly in areas with high tourist activity where food service and retail outlets come under close scrutiny. The actions in this case serve as a reminder that food safety is a shared responsibility among producers, distributors, and sellers, with the goal of protecting public health for all.