A brand of instant porridge has been pulled from store shelves in South Africa following the tragic deaths of three young children, reportedly after consuming the product.
According to Lt Col Siphokazi Mawisa, a police spokesperson, the children—aged between 18 months and four years—experienced severe stomach pains after eating Top Score Instant Porridge. They passed away on Friday, she told the Daily Maverick.
The product, purchased at a Spar supermarket, has been removed from all Spar stores across the country as a precautionary measure.
Namib Mills, the Namibian company that produces the porridge, stated that there is “currently no evidence linking our product to this unfortunate event,” but emphasized they are taking the situation seriously. The company expressed condolences to the affected families and confirmed that their product has been withdrawn pending an investigation.
“We are working closely with the relevant authorities and have also launched our own internal investigation to ensure full transparency,” the company said in a statement.
The three victims were from two separate families in Eastern Cape province. A seven-year-old child who also fell ill after consuming the porridge was hospitalized but has since been discharged.
Although the children reportedly ate the vanilla-flavoured variety, all flavours of the porridge have been pulled from stores. It remains unclear what caused the children’s deaths.
Buffalo City Municipal spokesperson Bongani Fuzile informed the Daily Maverick that samples of the porridge have been sent to the National Health Laboratory Services for testing and analysis.
