59 food facilities closed over safety breaches

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has shut down two unlicensed sachet water production facilities and a cold store in the Greater Accra Region after inspectors uncovered serious hygiene and food safety breaches that posed significant risks to public health.

The closures followed an inspection exercise on Wednesday as part of the Authority’s nationwide enforcement campaign.

Over the past two weeks, the exercise has led to the temporary closure of 59 food manufacturing and cold storage facilities across the East and West municipalities.

These include 44 food manufacturing establishments and more than 15 cold stores.

During the inspections, FDA officials found that some sachet water producers were using untreated and algae-contaminated water for production. They also discovered that food products meant for sale were being stored under poor hygienic conditions.

Inspectors further observed that most of the sachet water producers lacked ultraviolet (UV) sterilisation systems, resulting in untreated water being packaged for public consumption.

Although the operators cooperated with the inspection team, FDA officials described the conditions at the facilities as disturbing and directed the operators to report to the Authority the following day for questioning.

The Authority was, however, unable to shut down another targeted facility because its operators had vacated the premises before inspectors arrived, raising suspicion that they may have been tipped off.

The exercise covered areas such as Kwabenya, Ashongman Estate and Amansaman.

Addressing journalists after the operation, the FDA’s Head of Communications, Mrs Rhoda Appiah, said the exercise formed part of routine inspections aimed at safeguarding public health.

She explained that under Section 130 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), all food production facilities must be registered or licensed before commencing operations.

Mrs Appiah noted that registration fees were modest, with most small-scale operators paying less than GH¢300, making compliance far cheaper than the penalties for non-compliance.

She warned that businesses operating without valid licences risked temporary closure, confiscation of products, administrative fines of up to GH¢30,000 and possible prosecution.

She also cautioned operators against using expired FDA registration numbers, stressing that facility licences must be renewed annually and could be revoked for regulatory breaches.

Mrs Appiah urged consumers to purchase only FDA-approved products from licensed manufacturers and to ensure that packaged food items carried valid FDA registration before buying.

She further encouraged manufacturers to take advantage of the FDA’s digital application platform to register and renew their licences online.

“We are not anti-business. We want businesses to thrive, but we cannot sacrifice the health and safety of Ghanaians for financial expediency,” she said.

BY NELLY QUARCOOPOME

ollow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q

The post 59 food facilities closed over safety breaches appeared first on Ghanaian Times.