By Aws Al-Sharqi, IOL Correspondent

BAGHDAD, September 18 (IslamOnline.net) – Tons of expired Israeli foodstuffs had flooded Iraqi markets since the first days of U.S.-led occupation of the oil-rich Arab country, Iraqi Health Ministry sources said.

Putting the value of such commodities at around 50 millions dollars, they blamed the chaotic situation on Iraq's borders with neighboring countries and the absence of any health or security controls for Israel's ability to sneak its spoiled products into the country.

"Most of products in the markets are spoiled. Specialized committees have checked random samples and found most of them to be either inedible or unfit for human consumption," Iraqi Health Ministry Nutrition Research Institute Director Mohamed Abdel-Gabbar told IslamOnline.net.

"Some of the tested samples were found to be poisonous or expired and cause serious diseases such as typhoid and cholera," he asserted.

"We have cautioned months ago of the dangers of uncontrolled imports, particularly with respect to foodstuffs that endanger citizens' health," Abdel-Gabbar said.

He accused some of the importers and traders of forging the commodities expiry date and certificate of origin.

"They even put the names of Turkish and Greek companies on expired Israeli products," Abdel-Gabbar said.

The Iraqi official stressed that "infected and bad meats are currently available in the market. There are also hundreds of kinds of spoiled soft drinks".

On the widespread of such inedible foodstuffs, Dr. Mona Turki of the Nutrition Research Institute blamed "the absence of health or security controls on the borders."

"We are now quit sure that most of the Israeli products are spoiled or expired. There are soft drinks that carry an 'E' mark and cause," said the expert.

Spoiled Gum

Giving an example of spoiled Israeli products, Dr. Ali Hussein Gassem of the Nutrition Research Institute said spoiled gum were being sent to Iraqi through Jordanian merchants or even Turkish companies.

"We have issued reports warning that children who chew such gum would more likely be inflicted with cancerous diseases," he said.

On his part, director of Al-Amal Laboratory Dr. Kamel Al-Gawahry urged the Ministry of Health and the interim governing council to close the borders against the entry of such poisonous foodstuffs that threaten the lives of Iraqi citizens.

After the Anglo-American invasions, reports were rife that Israeli companies were exporting commodities to Iraq under the cover of American firms.

A center of the Washington-based and Mossad-linked Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) was opened in the occupied Iraqi capital Baghdad, in a provocative move seen by Iraqi academics as the beginning of an Israeli scheme to infiltrate the Iraqi society.