FDB bares teeth at producers and users of non-iodated salt

You may soon find yourself on the wrong side of the law if you are producing or using non-iodated salt.

The Food and Drugs Board has served notice it will deal ruthlessly with those violating the FDB Law of 1996 which makes it mandatory for salt to be iodized before consumption.

According to Kofi Essel, Head of Food Inspectorate Division at the FDB, the board's drive to get more people to use iodated salt has reduced cases of goiter and iodine deficiency disorders by over thirty percent.

However, he said, recent checks by the FDB revealed some producers and sellers of salt are not complying.

“The last time I overhead someone suggesting that it is a ploy from western countries to destroy us and not to make us fertile. Quite recently we visited the Ada area and so ridiculously some people were suggesting that there is increase prevalence of hernia and they suspect it's because of the use of iodated salt. Someone goes onto the internet, reads something and he feels that he is an authority in that area and just goes out that and plants things in the minds of Ghanaians. If you kill Ghanaians who are you going to rule, so why should government do that? Please let us be serious,” he said.

But Mr. Essel in an interview with Joy News warned the FDB will crack the whip on salt manufactures and sellers who violate the law on iodization.

“I want to send a note of caution to manufacturers or producers of salt, people who transport salt, people who sell salt and people who engage in public food service operations like restaurants and hotels, until we change the law you have nothing to do than to comply with the dictates of the law.”