The Food and Drugs Authority(FDA) has assured the public that chicken and other meat products imported into Ghana are safe for consumption.
This comes after the Vice Chair of the Association of Ghana Industries-Agriculture Sector, Fatima Alimohamed, told the media that imported chicken and other meat products are preserved for at least three years before reaching destination markets in Africa.
“This imported meat and chicken were slaughtered years back. They were not killed last month and shipped here the following month.
“Most have been injected for preservation purposes, and the likelihood of dire health implications are high – including cancer, which is on the rise in Ghana,” Ms Alimohamed said.
According to a statement released by FDA on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, the imported products are taken through internationally accredited protocols and procedures that ensure their safety.
These procedures include a thorough inspection of each consignment, checks for discolouration and odour, and confirmatory microbiology tests for the absence of microorganisms such as salmonella and listeria.
FDA said these and all tests on the products are done at their mini laboratory at the Tema Port before they are released onto the market.
They added that any consignment found to be unwholesome is subjected to the requisite regulatory procedures, including safe disposal and sanctioning of the importer.
“The Authority hereby reassures the public that the health and safety of the citizenry is a priority for the Authority and as such would continue to work assiduously throughout this Christmas season and beyond to ensure that only safe and nutritious foods are sold on our markets.”
“Consumers are also encouraged to immediately bring to the notice of the FDA any observation of an instance of contaminated, spoilt or expired chicken or other meat products that come to their notice,” it directed.
The FDA further stated that it would continue to work with AGI and the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers(GNAPF) to increase the supply and consumption of locally produced poultry products for the Ghanaian market.