Tema, June 19, GNA - Officials of the Environmental Health Directorate and the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) are investigating the circumstances leading to the excavation of unwholesome tomato puree from a refuse at Ashaiman.

Madam Zamba Adama, an 80-year-old woman, and her four grand daughters were in the process of re-bagging the puree into small polythene bags for sale when the officials pounced on them.

The four brands of the tomato puree, namely Pomo, La Bianca, TFL (La Perla) and Walquest that were loaded into seven maxi sacks have been seized and are in the custody of the Environmental Directorate. Mr Peter Amuzu, the Tema Municipal Chief Environmental Health Officer, said last Friday the FDB had a tip-off that some people at Ashaiman were dealing in unwholesome puree.

Officials of the Health Directorate and the FDB moved to the area and met them bagging the puree and upon interrogation Madam Adama mentioned his son Sofo Mumuni, a scrap dealer, who collected them from the Kpone refuse dump.

He said the puree was declared unwholesome in view of the fact that the cans were rusted, "blown" and had perforation on them that allowed toxins to emit to contaminate the content.

Mr Amuzu underscored the need for importers, exporters and food processing companies to always consult the Directorate, FDB, Port Health and all related agencies for assistance to ensure the proper disposal of unwholesome food items to avoid exhumation for consumption.