Swelling ration cans spark food safety concerns in Sulaymaniyah

SULAYMANIYAH — New complaints have surfaced over Iraq’s monthly ration program after videos circulated showing tomato paste cans distributed by the Ministry of Trade swelling, rupturing and spraying their contents when opened.

The footage, widely shared on social media, shows pressurized cans bursting open with force. In one clip, a person twists off a lid before the contents explode outward like a shaken soda, raising concerns about spoilage and contamination. The Ministry of Trade initially denied any problems, but further reports suggest the issue may be widespread.

964media has independently verified the incidents.

Iraq’s Public Distribution System, or PDS, was launched in the 1990s during international sanctions to provide families with staple food items. Overseen by the Ministry of Trade, it supplies flour, rice, sugar, oil and tomato paste on a monthly basis.

A 964media investigation found several tomato paste cans from the latest PDS shipment still on store shelves. When opened, many hissed sharply and foamed violently, with some releasing a sour odor or showing discoloration. “Every one we tested bursts as soon as you open it,” a staff member said. “Most of them release more than a meter of spray.”

The labels on the cans read: “Ministry of Trade – General Company for Foodstuff Trade – Iraq – Baghdad – Karrada – Wahda Street – Produced especially for the Ministry of Trade.”

Attempts to reach the Ministry of Trade and Sulaymaniyah’s food distribution directorate for comment have gone unanswered, possibly due to the Eid al-Adha holiday.