Serious questions about the quality and hygiene of food in the National Guard are raised by a report by the Auditor General, as about 25% of soldiers attribute gastroenteritis problems to feeding. The Audit Office highlights the absence of specialized military control protocols, warning that proper nutrition is a necessary condition for the operational readiness of troops.
In a Report of the Auditor General, regarding the feeding of soldiers, it is recorded that of the 1,106 soldiers who completed the relevant questionnaires, about one in four reported that they had mild health problems – mainly gastrointestinal diseases – which they attribute to their feeding.
Of course, it is understood that the approximately 276 soldiers were not affected on the same day, but it is an indication that something is wrong with the control of the quality of the food.
As indicated by the Auditor General, this finding is a serious indicator in relation to the perception of the soldiers regarding the quality and hygiene of the food provided.
The Report records that from the date of activation of the contract for the supply and distribution of ready-made portions of food/products (20.1.2025), no sample of portions of food or raw materials of animal origin had been taken, either from the premises of the contractor supplier company, as well as its suppliers, for carrying out the appropriate laboratory tests.
According to the Veterinary Services of the Republic, the single basic assurance applicable to all food of animal origin consumed in the Republic of Cyprus is provided, which results from the existing programs of official sampling controls/inspections that they carry out on the basis of risk analysis and which they consider to be sufficient to identify cases of supply of problematic food of animal origin to the NG.
However, as indicated, "an investigation by the Audit Office on the internet, regarding the actions followed in relation to the above issue, by the Armed Forces of other European countries, found that a strict control framework is applied, which combines, in addition to European food legislation, specialized military protocols, to minimize the possibility of exposure of their soldiers to dangerous substances contained in food, whether they come from negligence or from external intervention."
In other words, it is not a matter of whim to scrupulously control the food and good nutrition of the soldiers, but it is also a matter of their readiness at all times.
The Auditor General further states that balanced and quality nutrition/nutrition in the National Guard, both in times of peace and in times of crisis/tension/war, is very important to ensure the good health of the soldiers and by extension is a necessary condition for the fulfilment of the operational work assigned to it.
