Killer "Chofi" back in town

The killer turkey tail, imported from Europe, popularly known in the local parlance as ‘Chofi’, which was banned in Ghana in 1999, as a result of its high fat content, has found its way back onto the Ghanaian market.

Officials of the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) say ‘Chofi’ was restricted alongside other frozen poultry products with more than 15 percent fat content. ‘Chofi’ according to expert could not pass the 15 percent fat mark because it contains about 45 percent of fat even after the fat glands are removed.


A notice to importers from the Ministry of Trade and Industry dated September 1st 2001 and signed by the former Minister, Dan Abodakpi said, “poultry and meat products with fat content higher than specified will be confiscated and destroyed at importers cost.”

Presently, Chofi is sold alongside fried yams. Especially at night in some food selling joints. Chofi is also common along the Kumasi highway. Sellers usually rush them to waiting passengers travelling to Kumasi and beyond whenever the cars stop at Nsawam and other towns along the Accra-Kumasi route.