The Ashanti Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has met with producers of cereal mix products following nationwide surveillance that detected unacceptable levels of heavy metals in some brands on the market.
The surveillance exercise, undertaken in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), sampled a wide range of products from both open markets and retail outlets across the country. The assessment covered turmeric, cereal mixes, kohl, bentonite clay and various skin-lightening creams.
According to the FDA, laboratory analyses showed that some cereal mix products exceeded permissible heavy metal limits, prompting the Authority to initiate an immediate recall of all affected registered food products, including cereal mixes and turmeric.
The engagement with producers formed part of efforts to share the findings, improve industry understanding of the risks, and discuss practical steps to strengthen safety practices and eliminate heavy metal contamination in production.
It also supported the Authority’s broader programme to reinforce regulatory compliance, continuous surveillance, and public education.
Mr. Nathaniel Nana Kwabena Nkrumah, Ashanti Regional Head of the FDA, explained that both branded and unbranded cereal mix products were sampled to determine the extent of contamination.
He said UNICEF’s support was part of ongoing post-market surveillance aimed at ensuring that food products meet FDA standards.
“The findings show that some of the products did not comply because they failed the heavy metal test. This training seeks to engage producers to help them understand the findings and explore ways of minimising heavy metals in their formulations,” he said.
Mr. Nkrumah noted that contamination could originate from several sources, including raw materials, processing methods and the equipment used.
The training therefore sought to raise awareness among producers and guide them on how to reduce heavy metal levels in their products.
He reaffirmed the FDA’s commitment to intensifying its crackdown on unregistered products to safeguard public health, stressing that consumer safety remains central to the Authority’s mandate.
The Regional Head also revealed that the Authority is introducing new systems to reduce delays in product registration, including premium application services that offer shorter processing times and a 24-hour laboratory service to speed up product testing.
