The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned importers of products for pre-Christmas sales to desist from importing goods near to their expiry dates as consumers are becoming vulnerable.
Mr James Lartey, the Head of Communications at the FDA told the Ghana news Agency in an interview that the Authority’s regulations required that every product imported into the country should have two thirds of its shelf live intact.
He said importers must ensure that products imported were registered with the FDA as prescribed by section 97 (1)(a) of the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851.
He said importers are to ensure that products imported into the Ghanaian market were labelled in English with the aim of helping consumers to clearly know the contents of products they would be consuming.
Mr Lartey asked distributors and retailers of both imported and locally manufactured products to ensure that products were approved by the FDA, bearing the FDA official stamp and also ensure that the products.
He said, any unregistered products would be ceased and may be destroyed at expense of the importer or the local manufacturer.
He urged distributors and retailers to ensure that the products they were selling out to the consumers were wholesome and also not expose food items to the sun because they could easily be contaminated.
“When distributing frozen products, ensure it is transported under refrigeration,” Mr Lartey added.
He however urged the public to be alert when purchasing any product during the upcoming Christmas festive season to ensure that they were consuming wholesome products.
Mr Lartey said consumers must be determined to check on all products for various manufacturing dates and also ensure every product had an address as well batch number.
He said, buyers and consumers must check every product bought during the pre-Christmas era for a labelling in English, adding that consumers must also check to ensure that the products were not near to expiry date or the expiry date was not defaced or tempered with.
Mr Lartey also urged the public to desist from purchasing any item especially in cans that were blotted, rusted or dented and resist buying any item exposed to the sun as food under such condition became poisonous for consumption.
