The Western Region Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has destroyed several quantities of unwholesome products on the market of the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis to safeguard public health in accordance with the Public Health Act 2012, ACT 851.

The items destroyed included herbal medicines, aphrodisiacs and food products.

The items were seized during post-market surveillance conducted a week ago within the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.

The products were seized from peddlers who ply their trade around Star Hotel and other outlets at the Central Business District of Takoradi.

In an interview, a Senior Regulatory Officer, Francis Edem Odum, said the exercise was to serve as a wake-up call to all manufacturers, importers, individual shop owners, peddlers and consumers to be wary of the sale and purchase of expired, fake and unregistered products.

“Regularly we do post-market surveillance to check if products on the market are wholesome and are of good quality and standard.

“This helps us to expose those selling unwholesome products and sanction them according to FDA’s regulations.”

Mr. Edem Odum advised consumers to be on the lookout for expiry dates when buying products from the market.

“I will advise that whenever you are buying a product be it food, cosmetics or drugs, the first thing is to look out for FDA’s registration number, the physical nature of the product, and then the expiry date.

“And then also check if the language is in English or not. And if not in English, there should be a translation. If these signs are not on any product, I will advise consumers not to purchase them.”

Items seized were set ablaze at the Sofokrom landfill site.