The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has explained why turkey tail, popularly known in Ghana as tsofi, continues to appear on the market despite a nationwide ban in force for more than 20 years.

According to the authority, the banned product remains difficult to completely remove from Ghana’s food supply chain because importers often conceal it within consignments of other frozen products.

Turkey tail was prohibited in Ghana in 1999 over concerns about its high fat content and the associated health risks linked to excessive consumption.

Health officials have consistently cautioned that the product contains unhealthy levels of fat which could contribute to obesity, hypertension, heart disease and other medical complications.

Despite the restriction, turkey tail continues to surface in some markets and cold stores across the country, raising renewed concerns among regulators and consumers.

The issue has once again drawn public attention following intensified warnings by the FDA over the continued circulation of the banned product in the frozen food sector.

Speaking in an interview on Citi FM, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of the Food Division at the FDA, Roderick Kwabena Daddey-Adjei, acknowledged the challenges authorities face in detecting and intercepting turkey tail imports at the country’s entry points.

According to him, smugglers and some importers frequently hide the banned product among other frozen food items, making it difficult for inspectors to immediately identify it during routine examinations.

“It might be that people will use some unapproved routes. Some will even be able to use the port. But like I said, it is frozen and then it is mixed up with other items in the consignment,” he stated.

“When we are doing inspections, it is not like a 100 per cent check. You sample, then pick, and then look at it. But lately, even for those who are bringing in frozen meat, there has been a concern for some contraband.

“Authorities will be doing what we call ‘side verification inspections’ with those who bring in frozen products,” he added.