‘Konkonte’ mixed with colour being sold as powdered tomato; one arrested

The Police in Accra have arrested one person for producing and distributing ‘powder tomato’ made with a mixture of food colouring seed, corn and ‘konkonte’ residue.

The woman, whose identity is yet to be revealed, was arrested on August 15, and is assisting the Police in its investigations. According to the Food and Drugs Authority, the substance, which has entered our markets, is used as substitute for fresh and tomato paste to make prepared food look reddish and attractive.

The arrest of the producer-cum-distributor of the said substance followed investigations by the FDA, which revealed the substance is produced, stored and marketed under “unhygienic conditions”.

A statement issued by the FDA Monday evening said the substance “could pose potential public health risks to consumers”, hence warned Ghanaians against its patronage.

“The substance contains ‘annatto seed’ (bixa orellana) and a cocktail of milled residues of various products such as corn and ‘konkonte’,” the statement said, noting the seed provides reddish colour to the product.