FDA destroys unwholesome products in Sunyani

The Brong Ahafo Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority ( FDA) yesterday destroyed unwholesome products valued at  GHc18, 330 at the Sunyani landfill site.

The products, made up of food items, drugs, cosmetics and medical tools, were seized from pharmacies, chemical, herbal, cosmetics and provision shops in the Sunyani Municipality and nine other districts. This was during the FDA’s routine and special post-market surveillances (PMS).

The districts are: Tano North, Pru, Tain, Atebubu, Asutifi North and South, Sene East and West and Jaman North.

Briefing newsmen in Sunyani prior to the disposal of the unwholesome products, the Regional Officer of the FDA, Mr Matthew Gyan Nkum, said the items were seized from 249 shops, comprising grocery shops, pharmacies, licensed chemical shops, three herbal and  a cosmetics shop.

FIFO principle

He said the wholesomeness of a product was determined by assessing its label, expiry date, nature of the product, packaging integrity, as well as registration status.

Mr Nkum, therefore, urged shop owners and attendants to practise the first-in-first-out (FIFO) principle to ensure that their wares did not expire. They were also advised to segregate their wares in their shops to ensure their wholesomeness.

Advice

He urged shop owners and attendants to desist from displaying products for sale in the sun and practise personal and environmental hygiene.

The Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the FDA also appealed to consumers not to patronise products exposed to the sun and those that had expired or whose packaging had been tampered with.

He also entreated shop owners and consumers to check the manufacturing and FDA registration information on products before buying them.