By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Nov. 23, GNA – The Ashanti Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has held an engagement with producers of cereal mix products in the region following a nationwide surveillance that detected the presence of heavy metals in some products on the market.
The surveillance exercise, conducted in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), sampled a variety of products from both the open market and supermarkets across the country.
It focused on items such as turmeric, cereal mixes, kohl, bentonite clay, and skin-lightening creams.
The FDA said its findings revealed that some cereal mix products contained unacceptable levels of heavy metals.
In response to these alarming results, the Authority immediately initiated a recall of all implicated registered food products, particularly cereal mixes and turmeric.
The engagement with producers was aimed at sharing the findings of the surveillance, enhancing their understanding of the issue, and discussing practical measures to ensure the production of safe, high-quality products devoid of heavy metal contamination.
It also formed part of efforts to strengthen regulatory enforcement, continuous monitoring, adherence to standards, and public awareness.
Mr Nathaniel Nana Kwabena Nkrumah, the Ashanti Regional Head of the FDA, explained that both branded and unbranded cereal mix products were sampled to ascertain the levels of heavy metals they contained.
UNICEF, he said, supported the FDA as part of its post-market surveillance activities to ensure that products on the market meet the Authority’s approved specifications.
“The findings show that some of the products did not comply because they failed the heavy metal test. “This training seeks to engage producers to help them understand the findings and explore ways of minimising heavy metals in their formulations,” he stated.
Mr Nkrumah indicated that the contamination could stem from several factors, including the processing methods, the source of raw materials, and the equipment used during production.
The training, therefore, aimed to raise awareness among stakeholders and guide them on how to reduce heavy metal content in their products.
He reaffirmed the FDA’s commitment to cracking down on unregistered products on the market to safeguard public health, which remains a core mandate of the Authority.
The Regional Head also disclosed that the FDA is introducing innovative systems to tackle delays in product registration.
These include premium application services that ensure shorter processing times and a 24-hour laboratory service to expedite product testing.
GNA
Edited by Yussif Ibrahim/ Christabel Addo