FDA Destroys 4,500 Cartons of Expired Mackerel

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has destroyed 4,500 cartons of unwholesome canned fish that were said to be on transit to Togo, but were diverted onto the Ghanaian market.

The unregistered consignment labeled ‘Asahi’ was imported into the country by Dotsico Ventures.

The exercise was supervised by the police and officials of the FDA at the Achimota Mile Seven Police Station on Wednesday.

The items were later transported to Kpone in Tema where it would be burnt.

Speaking to the Media, the Head of Communications from the FDA, Kames Lartey, said the products were cleared from the port on September 30, and were set to expire in February 2018, according to their labeling.

“We discovered that ‘So Nice mackerel’ and Asahi mackerel were shipped into the country by Dotsisco Ventures, but the documentation covering them indicated that they were on transit to Togo,” he said.

As the consignment was not destined for the Ghanaian market, the authorities at the Tema Port were not required to check the contents of the containers.

‘So Nice’ mackerel alert

The FDA also warned the public against the patronage and consumption of a brand of canned fish named ‘So Nice’ mackerel.

This particular brand slipped through the fingers of the FDA, as three of 20-foot containers of the imported products have been transported to Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale.

But post-market surveillance by the FDA has already led to the detention of 500 cartons of the ‘So Nice’ mackerel.

The Authority maintains that, it cannot vouch for the wholesomeness of the product because it did not pass through approved safety and health checks at the Tema Port before it was cleared on October 2, 2017.

According to Mr. Lartey, the owner of the product, Kofi Dotsi, claimed that it was also not meant for the Ghanaian market and that it was on transit to Togo.

However, he said, immediately the owner cleared the product, he allegedly diverted it for distribution on the local market.

Source: Citifmonline