The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a strong warning to consumers about the need for extreme caution when buying palm oil due to ongoing concerns about adulteration.
The alert highlights the FDA’s continued battle against the presence of hazardous substances, particularly the banned ‘Sudan Four’ dye, which has been found in some palm oil products on the market.
This industrial dye, which is prohibited in food products due to its cancer-causing properties, poses a significant health threat to consumers.
Roderick Daddey-Adjei, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, voiced serious concern about the ongoing issue despite the Authority’s strict enforcement measures.
While progress has been made in reducing the amount of contaminated palm oil, Daddey-Adjei stressed that any level of contamination remains unacceptable.
He warned that those responsible for such practices are still active and assured that the FDA, alongside the police, is taking firm action against them, including arrests.
“But we are still not happy about that small percentage that is there, which means that people who perpetrated the activity are still lurking in the dark. And we also want to also let those who think that they can come back and keep on doing this, that their days are numbered. Because already with this one that we even did, we did some arrests, we have handed them over to the police.”