The Central Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has destroyed quantities of seized COA-FS food supplement and other assorted items declared as unwholesome to safeguard public health and safety.

The four tons of destroyed items valued at ¢54,300.00 included all five brands of product areas regulated by the Authority - food products, drugs mainly herbal, orthodox, medical devices, and cosmetics.

Mr. John Odai-Tettey, the Regional Director of the Authority disclosed in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.

The products were seized from markets, warehouses, shops, voluntary submission of expired products, and manufacturing and retail shops through intensive market surveillance and swoop across the Region.

He said the exercise was to serve as a wake-up call to all manufacturers, importers, individual shop owners, cold-store owners, and wholesalers to disengage in the sale of expired, fake and unregistered goods.

He called on consumers to be bold to expose those dealing in unwholesome or expired items by reporting them to the Authority for immediate action.

They must also critically check the expiry date, batch number, labels of food items, and legibility of the manufacturers before purchasing the products.

He cautioned persons selling expired products to stop because when caught, sanctions or jail term awaits them depending on the quantity of the expired products on the market.

He further urged operators of food and drug manufacturers to always exercise good manufacturing practices and avail themselves for training and industrial support programmes routinely organized by the Authority and also license their operations and products to avoid the consequences.