FDA warns against flood-affected food and drinks

Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has warned the public against buying or consuming food and beverage products with peeling, stained or discoloured labels, saying they may have been contaminated by floodwater and could pose serious health risks.

The warning follows the 29 June flooding in parts of the country, which the FDA says may have exposed packaged food and drinks to sewage, refuse and other contaminants.

The Authority said floodwater can compromise packaged products even when there is no visible damage to the contents.

It cautioned that simply washing the outside of bottles or shrink-wrapped packs does not make flood-affected products safe.

Caps, seals and other parts of the packaging can be breached during or after submersion, allowing contaminated water to reach the contents, it said.

Consuming contaminated products could expose people to diseases including cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery, as well as other water-borne infections.

The FDA urged consumers to avoid products showing mud stains or watermarks on the packaging, bottle, cap or label.

It also advised against buying products with labels that are stained, peeling or discoloured.

Consumers have further been advised to exercise caution when buying food and drinks from unusual locations or from vendors selling products in bulk without a clear source.

The FDA said people should buy such products only from licensed and reputable outlets.

What businesses should do

Households and shop owners have been directed to safely dispose of any food or beverage stock that has come into contact with floodwater.

The affected products should not be stored for later consumption or sale.

Manufacturers, distributors and retailers have also been instructed not to wash, repack, relabel or resell products damaged by flooding.

Instead, such products should be quarantined and the nearest FDA office contacted for verification and safe disposal.

The Authority warned that failure to comply with the directive is an offence and could lead to sanctions under Ghanaian law.