The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has, upon a tip off, seized a consignment of about Seven Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty (7820) cartons of unwholesome fish, being distributed by a company called We 2 Sea Foods Company based at the Tema Fishing Habour.
Two managers of the company have been summoned to the offices of the FDB today, to face tough questions.
Indications are that they will be charged under the Food and Drugs Law and processed for court.
The FDB during an inspection by its officials at the premises of We 2 Sea Foods Company made the discovery where it was observed that 1200 cartons of Mackerel being stored by the company at two different locations had defrost, but had been repackaged and refrozen. Although an offensive smell was emanating from the frozen fish, they were going to be placed on the market for human consumption.
Officials of the FDB also observed that another consignment of about 6620 cartons of Mackerel 20+ (Flat Cartons), being stored at We 2 Sea Foods Company had expired between February and March this year.
According to the FDB, some of the rotten fish had been unscrupulously relabeled by the company to read “Production Date – 09.09.11; Expiry Date – 12 months after production date,” an act which contravenes Section 3 of the Food and Drugs Law.
The law states that “Any person who labels, packages, sells, or advertises any food in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive as regards its character, nature, value, substance, quality or composition, merit or safety, commits an offence.”
It was further detected that We 2 Sea Foods Company indulges in the relabeling of unwholesome fish for placement on the market in total violation of Sections 1 and 8 (1) of the Food and Drugs Law, PNDC Law 305B.
That law also states among other things that “Any person who sells or offers for sale any food that is unwholesome or unfit for human consumption, consists in whole or in part of any filthy, putrid, rotten, decomposed or diseased substance, is injurious to health; or is not of the nature, substance or quality prescribed by standards commits an offence.
While section 8(1): “Any person who sells, or offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession for sale or deposits with or consigns to any person for the purpose of sale, any food intended for, but unfit for human consumption commits an offence”.
To protect public health and safety, the FDB has confiscated the consignment of the unwholesome fish for safe disposal.
Importers of frozen animal products, the FDB said, should note that proper and constant maintenance of the cold chain, as well as hygiene during storage and /or transportation of their frozen products, are basic requirements to guarantee product wholesomeness.
The FDB said it will continue with its monitoring of the operations of all Bulk Cold Storage Facilities to ensure that they adhere strictly to “Good Cold Storage Practices”.
Furthermore, the FDB said it wishes to assure the public that it will continue to do all in its power to protect public health and safety.
Information from the general public on persons suspected to be in any practice with the potential of endangering public health and safety with respect to FDB’s mandate is most welcomed through any of the following contact numbers; 0244337235, 0244337243, 0243189692 or 0244337251.
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