FDA warns against sale and consumption of flood-damaged food and beverages
FDA Acting Upper East Regional Director Abel Ndego warns that flood-damaged food and beverages may be contaminated with harmful microorganisms and could trigger food-borne diseases.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned the public against buying, selling or consuming flood-damaged food and beverages, warning that such products could pose serious health risks.
Acting Upper East Regional Director of the FDA, Abel Ndego, says floodwaters can carry human waste, debris, harmful microorganisms and other contaminants onto food and beverage products, rendering them unsafe for consumption.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Thursday, August 20, Ndego warned traders against attempting to clean flood-damaged products and return them to the market.
He explained that floodwaters do not follow restricted paths and can pick up dangerous microorganisms and other contaminants before depositing them on products stored in shops, warehouses and other facilities.
According to him, consuming such products could expose people to pathogenic microorganisms and contribute to outbreaks of cholera and other food-borne diseases.
Ndego cited sachet water as a particular concern, noting that consumers generally do not wash the exterior packaging before drinking it.
“None of us washes sachet water before drinking it,” he noted, stressing that contaminants on the packaging could therefore come into direct contact with consumers.
He urged consumers to carefully inspect food and beverage products before purchasing them, especially during the flood season.
The FDA official advised the public to look out for signs including dried mud, stains on cartons, sand particles and mud around bottle necks, which could indicate that products have been exposed to floodwaters.
He also urged consumers to exercise caution when purchasing products from shops and warehouses located in flood-prone areas.
Ndego disclosed that the FDA had already seized quantities of products linked to post-flood activities, including a whole truckload recently seized in Accra.
He said FDA officers in the Upper East Region were conducting market surveillance, particularly during major market days, to prevent flood-damaged and unwholesome products from reaching consumers.
“We are making sure that our region and the good people of this region are duly protected from having access to these unwholesome products,” he stated.
Ndego appealed to the public to report suspected cases of flood-damaged food and beverages to the FDA, assuring informants that their identities would be protected.
Mike 105.3FM I Navrongo | Elizabeth Apusaama
