FDA fines Shoprite over deceptive frozen chicken

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has fined Shoprite for selling imported frozen chicken as locally produced meat.

The fine was a caution to the retail supermarket to desist from repeating the act and to serve as a deterrent to others.

Describing it as “deceptive and fraudulent”, the Deputy Chief Executive of the FDA, Akua Amartey, said, it also had some health implications on consumers.

The section of Shoprite at the Accra Mall that had the chicken had since been closed down.

The FDA also visited the Junction Mall and extended the same visit to other retail markets for further investigations to ensure customer safety.

“Most people who patronise these products think they’ve bought fresh chicken, some of them will definitely also freeze, and you know what happens when products are thawed at certain temperatures. Micro-organisms start brewing in them, and they produce toxins.”

She explained that the chicken might contain processed toxic microorganisms which when consumed, could pose some health challenges to people.

Meanwhile, the meat section of the retail shop is to remain closed, until Shoprite puts in the necessary regulatory measures to prevent the recurrence of such a situation.

“They must decide to sell frozen chicken as frozen chicken. If they want to sell fresh chicken, then they should let us know which farms they are getting the fresh chicken from,” she said.

The Deputy Chief Executive said any shop that embarks on such a venture needed to provide the documentation, inspection mechanisms in the production of the meat, date to receive consignments of fresh chicken, as well as the freezers they would store them.

They must provide details on ‘How they are going to dispose of [the chicken] after the shelf life so that they do not end up freezing them and selling them as fresh chicken,” Ms Amartey noted in a Citi FM interview on June 17 which was monitored by The Ghana Report.

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According to her, it was important for businesses to collaborate with the regulatory body, including the training of their staff members, to avert such incidence and safeguard the health of people.