Similarly, in 1997, the economies of several East African countries were damaged by the ban on the import of fresh fish into the European Community following a reported outbreak of cholera (Aginam, 2002). Another frequently cited reason for the ineffectiveness of HRIs is the lack of regulatory flexibility and the inability to adapt to changing circumstances in international trade and public health. There is no doubt that much has changed in international food trade since the amendment of the HRI in 1981, which would call into question the usefulness of regulation in controlling the spread of foodborne diseases. The promotion of food safety, it seems, has never been the explicit intention of the RSI regulation. .