FDA warns sachet water producers to comply with standard

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has entreated sachet water producers in the country to observe specified standard operating procedures in manufacturing sachet water for sale in order to safeguard public health and safety.

This followed some flaws detected in the operations of some sachet water producing facilities in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis during an inspection embarked upon by the FDA.

A Senior Regulatory Officer of the FDA, Mr. Albert Ankomah, recounted an incident at one of the places they visited, where a frog was found in one of the poly tanks used in storing water for manufacturing sachet water.

He said the Public Health Act, Act 851 passed in 2012 mandated the Authority to close down water manufacturing facilities that operate in unhygienic environment and whose products are contaminated, which poses a health risk to the public.

Mr Ankomah said this at a day’s sensitization workshop in Takoradi, for sachet water producers in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis on the new Public Health law to ensure total compliance and prevent any unwholesome packaging of foods onto the market.

The event, also aimed at fostering closer collaboration between the Authority and its stakeholders, as well as discussing their concerns in order to improve the quality of food brought onto the market.

He said the law has classified water as food; therefore, sachet water producers must employ qualified persons to supervise processing and packaging of sachet water for sale.

“The law has mandated the Authority to regulate cosmetics, household chemical substances, drugs, food, medical devices and herbal medicinal products in the country,” he stated.

Mr. Ankomah said section 97 of the Public Health law stipulates that no person should manufacture, import, prepare or sell food unless it has been registered by the Authority and meets prescribed standard and code of food manufacturing practices.

The Senior Regulatory Officer entreated the participants to keep proper documentation on their activities, including cleaning, training of staff, sanitation, food handling, pest control, production, batch numbers of items produced and certificate of analysis, to ensure effective monitoring and management of data.

The Regional Manager of FDA, Mr. Abu Sumaila, advised sachet water producers to tie their workers to contract to avert the frequent changing of staff which affects production.

He also entreated sachet water producers to inform the Authority when they temporarily close down their operations.

Mr. Sumaila advised the public to report any residues found in sachet water to the Authority, to ensure quick intervention to safeguard public safety.

He said the Authority had intensified its post surveillance activities to examine products released onto the market and entreated all buyers to be vigilant when purchasing any products.

The participants also appealed to the Authority to exercise strict adherence to the rules and regulation guiding advertisements on television, especially with regards to alcohol beverages, which are often laced with profane language and sexual suggestive antics that could destroy the moral fibre of children.