FDA cautions Ghanaians of food adulterants

Accra, May 6, GNA - The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has cautioned Ghanaians to be wary of the usage of rotten by- products from the mill being called 'Tomato Powder', used as food adulterants by mass caterers.

The by- products from the mill, comprised milled pepper, chaff from milled corn and annato seed added to give it the reddish colour.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, Mrs Maria Lovelace-Johnson, Head of the Food Safety Management Unit of the FDA described the mixing of food with such adulterants, as injurious to human health.

She said the FDA in a market survey conducted by the Authority in April in more than 20 markets in the Greater Accra Region noticed the use of the tomato powder in large quantities by the mass caterers, adding, 'there is nothing like tomato powder".

She said laboratory analysis indicated that it is injurious and not hygienic.

Describing how these adulterants are collected, Mrs Lovelace-Johnson said the women collected debris swept from the floor of the mill and add the grinded annatto seed to give it a reddish colour.

'Such act is an offense stipulated in the Public Health Act, 2012, Act 851 section 100 and warned offenders to desist from such act.

The Act mandates the FDA to protect the public through the regulation of food, drugs, household chemical substances, cosmetics and medical devices.

She said food adulteration was on the increase in the urban markets with perpetrators plying on the ignorance of innocent buyers.

She, therefore, urged consumers to report any unusual changes in their food to the FDA.

Mrs Lovelace-Johnson defined food adulteration as an act of adding or mixing something inferior, harmful, useless and unnecessary to food.

She said the FDA had engaged sellers and had therefore asked them to withdraw such adulterants from the market by May 13, or face the law.

Some of the markets covered by the survey were: Ashiaman, Tema, Dome, Dansoman, Mallam Atta, Makola, Madina, Sakaman, Mamprobi, Adabraka, Salaga, Tesano, Dodowa, Ada, Anyaa, Nima, Bastona, Maamobi, Adenta, Agbobloshie and Odawna.

GNA