A new study has revealed alarming levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury contamination in some food and cosmetic products across the country's 16 regions.

The study, conducted by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), assessed 1,691 samples of turmeric, cereal mixes, bentonite clay also known as ayilo, kohl (kajikaji), and skin-lightening creams and lotions often used by women and children.

A health specialist with UNICEF, Dr Emmanuel Kyeremateng-Amoah, said lead levels as high as 11,000 ppm (parts per million) were recorded in some kohl samples, which were a hundred times above the safe limit of 20 ppm.

He said lead contamination was most prevalent in unbranded, locally produced kohl products, adding that there was a 78 percent failure rate for lead levels in the Upper East and Eastern regions.

For turmeric, he said there was a 42.1 percent failure rate for lead, with the Greater Accra and Central regions being the most affected.

He said unsafe levels of lead in turmeric were prevalent in branded, packaged turmeric sold at supermarkets and retail shops. 

Other heavy metals

Dr Kyeremateng-Amoah stated that in cereal mixes such as Tom Brown, the study recorded a 29 percent failure for cadmium nationally.

He said bentonite clay—used for cosmetics and medicinal purposes—showed 24.6 percent failure for lead, with the most prevalent cases in the Northeast and Greater Accra regions.

Dr Kyeremateng-Amoah, who was speaking at a press briefing in Accra last Monday, added that industrial sources such as used car batteries and improper handling of electronic waste were identified as significant contributors to lead contamination.

National plan

On the way forward, he said UNICEF and other partners were developing a national plan to address lead contamination and called on the media to educate the public on the study findings.

He urged that the Ministry of Health be equipped to test and diagnose lead contamination, with a focus on prevention.

Lead poisoning

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the FDA, Roderick Kwabena Daddey-Adjei, said children suffered more from lead poisoning since they absorbed five times more into their bodies than adults.

He said even small amounts of lead could damage children’s kidneys, brain development, cause anemia, slow their growth in speech, and cause hearing impairment, poor learning, and aggressive behaviour, among others.

"Lead is toxic to children because they absorb four to five times more than adults.

It affects brain development, speech, hearing, and learning, and even exposure in the womb can cause miscarriage or stillbirth. 

“This is why a national roadmap is critical to prevent exposure and protect children across the country," he said.

Some solutions

Mr Daddey-Adjei expressed commitment to working with agencies and partners to set standards and offer proper training for fabricators of locally made pots to prevent the use of contaminated materials in food contact items.

He said the FDA was going hard on sensitisation to educate the public and fabricators about the dangers of heavy metals in drinking water and food, and the consequences of exposure.

Mr Daddey-Adjei, however, urged the public to report food safety issues to the FDA, indicating that the FDA needed adequate resources to acquire the necessary equipment to conduct necessary testing and ensure regulatory compliance.
 

Tax holiday

The Director of the Women in Agriculture Development Directorate at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Paulina S. Addy, proposed tax holidays for manufacturers of stainless steel utensils to promote safer food practices.

She expressed the ministry’s commitment to work with the FDA and other ministries and agencies to address various food safety issues.