Accra, March 14, GNA - The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) says it has detained a consignment of unwholesome Titus sardines in vegetable oil and in tomato sauce.

It said in a statement signed by Dr Stephen Opuni, the Chief Executive, that unwholesome Titus sardine products, which were packed in Casablanca, Morocco, by UNIMER and imported by Forewin Ghana Limited, had red and yellow paper labels with the inscription TITUS written in yellow ink with a black shadow.

The details of the detained unwholesome Titus Sardine products are: 93Titus Sardines in Vegetable Oil 175 x 50 x 500 Cartons and Titus Sardines in Tomato Sauce 175 x 50 x 500 Cartons". FDB said examination conducted on the consignment on arrival at the Tema Harbour showed that some of the products were bloated and rusted, whilst some of the cans had leakages of oil and defective cans seams.

"These defects indicate very poor hermetic seaming during the canning process thereby compromising the safety and wholesomeness of the product."

It said consumption of bloated canned fish products posed a serious public health risk since the product might cause food poisoning due to Botulism caused by Clostridium Botulinum organism. It said botulism could cause paralysis of the central nervous system and untimely death within 24 hours if no medical assistance was provided.

"In view of the observed can defects in the consignment of Titus Sardines in Oil and Tomato Sauce (175g), the Food and Drugs Board cannot guarantee the wholesomeness of the consignment." The FDB said though it had detained the consignment for destruction, it had, with the assistance of the security agencies, doing everything possible to ensure that the unwholesome product did not enter the market.

It also cautioned distributors and retailers against the supply, display and sale of the said unwholesome Titus Sardine since it contravened the law against selling, offering, exposure for sale, or possession for sale food intended for, but unfit for human consumption.

The statement asked the general public to report any person(s) associated with the distribution of any other unwholesome food product to the Food and Drugs Board on 0244337235, 0244337243, 0244337247 and 0244337251.