Accra, Dec. 7, GNA - The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has sanctioned a number of food and sachet water producers for operating under unhygienic conditions and thus posing a threat to public health safety.

A statement signed by Mr Kwamina Van-Ess, Head of Food Division of FDB, said with immediate effect, the operations of Janco Enterprises had been suspended and the sanction would be reviewed upon the full implementation of various recommendations made by FDB to the Company. It said the sale of SR Filtered Water, Rock Filtered Water, Harmony Natural Water, Cliff Water and Pep Filtered Water had been suspended with immediate effect.

"The public is hereby advised to be cautious of the patronage of the above mentioned products since they are being produced under unhygienic conditions." It said for breach of good manufacturing practices, SWO Company of Mamfe, producers of Long Life Fruit juices; Adamah Waha Company, Nungua, producers of ice cream and ice cream cones; Komoriatsi Ventures, Osu, producers of Blessed Nyirah drinking water and Hour-has-come filtered drinking water, have also been directed to suspend their operations until further notice.

FDB cautioned against the purchase and patronage of bottled fresh fruit juices and cut fresh fruits, which were exposed to direct sunlight all day, saying these were heat sensitive and deteriorated very fast under harsh conditions. "Good manufacturing practices and food safety are paramount in the food industry and these cannot be compromised, especially in these last couple of weeks when food borne diseases like cholera, diarrhoea and dysentery have assumed alarming proportions."