Fake Starkist Tuna on the market

Accra, Dec. 9, GNA - The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has alerted Ghanaians about some fake "Starkist" Tuna imported into the country. It said its safety could not be guaranteed because it had not been registered with the Board.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Thursday, Head of Public Affairs, Mr James Lartey, urged the public not to patronise the product until its safety was guaranteed.

He explained that the modus operandi of the importers yet to be identified was to make photocopies of leaflets of the original Starkist Tuna and paste them on the imported fake tuna.

"While the fake leaflets overlap the edges of the can, the leaflet of the original are exactly on the edge," he added.

Mr Lartey said to differentiate between them, producers of the original Starkist tuna had introduced a new label which is imprinted on the can with the expiry date and Startkist embossed on top of the can. He advised retailers and wholesalers to ensure that they obtained their supplies from original sources and urged traders and the public to return old stocks of the product to wholesalers to be replaced. Mr Lartey said personnel from the post market surveillance unit would go round to inspect, seize and destroy all the fake tuna at the trader's expense in addition to other punitive measures. FDB reiterated its call on the public to report retailers and wholesalers dealing in fake products to the Board. 9 Dec. 10