The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has stepped up consumer education and regulatory enforcement in the Eastern Region following a national assessment revealing heavy metal contamination in certain market foods and cosmetic products.
Madam Anita Owusu-Kuffour, Eastern Regional Head of the FDA, said the surveillance focused on Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), and Mercury (Hg) levels in turmeric, cereal mixes, bentonite clay (commonly known as ayilor), kohl (Kaji Kaji), and skin-lightening creams and lotions. She noted that kohl products recorded a 77 percent failure rate for lead contamination, prompting intensified regulatory action in high-risk areas.
“These products, when applied to the body, can damage the kidneys and nervous system,” Madam Owusu-Kuffour warned during a stakeholders’ engagement at the Central Mosque in Koforidua. “Many people are unaware of the presence of heavy metals in some foods and cosmetics, so we are stepping up public education in markets, hospitals, churches, and mosques.”
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FDA officials translated the information into local dialects to ensure wider understanding. Alhaji Suleman Salifu Ahmed, Secretary to the Council of Zongo Chiefs in the Eastern Region, pledged to share the information with community members.
Mr Joseph Gyau Yeboah, Principal Regulatory Officer at the FDA Enforcement Unit in Koforidua, advised the public to be vigilant, check for FDA approval before purchasing products, and encouraged producers to register their products for scientific testing.
To safeguard consumers, the FDA has introduced several measures, including:
- Developing new guidelines and tightening oversight for kohl products, with stronger port surveillance.
- Expanding safety checks for cereal mixes and recalling contaminated brands.
- Nationwide recalls of implicated turmeric products and stricter inspection of imports.
- Monitoring bentonite clay producers to promote safer practices.
- Rolling out public education campaigns on the dangers of heavy metal exposure.
The FDA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public health through continuous surveillance, enforcement, and education initiatives.
