FDB Seizes 7820 Cartons Of Unwholesome Fish

The Food and Drugs Board, upon a tip off has seized a consignment of about Seven Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty (7820) cartons of unwholesome fish, being distributed by We 2 Sea Foods Company based in Tema. This was contained in a press release by the FDB. During inspection by the FDB officials at the premises, it was observed that 1200 cartons of Mackerel (M) (Long Carton) being stored by the company at two different locations indicated they had thawed and had been refrozen with an offensive smell emanating from the frozen fish in storage. It was also observed that another consignment of about 6,620 cartons of Mackerel 20+ (Flat Cartons), being stored at We 2 Sea Foods Company had expired since 25/02/12 and 03/12; and some had been relabeled to read �Production Date � 09.09.11; Expiry Date � 12 months after production date� - an act which contravenes Section 3 of the Food and Drugs Law, which states that: �Any person who labels, packages, sells, or advertises any food in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive as regards its character, nature, value, substance, quality or composition, merit or safety commits an offence.� It was also detected that We 2 Sea Foods Company indulges in the relabeling of unwholesome fish for placement on the market. These actions of We 2 Sea Foods Company contravene Sections 1 and 8 (1) of the Food and Drugs Law, PNDC Law 305B, which state that: Section 1 b, c, e and f Any person who sells or offers for sale any food that � (b) is unwholesome or unfit for human consumption; (c) consists in whole or in part of any filthy, putrid, rotten, decomposed or diseased substance; (e) is injurious to health; or (f) is not of the nature, substance or quality prescribed by standards commits an offence Section 8(1): �Any person who (a) sells, or offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession for sale or (b) deposits with or consigns to any person for the purpose of sale, any food intended for, but unfit for human consumption commits an offence� The statement further said: �to protect public health and safety, the Food and Drugs Board has confiscated the consignment of unwholesome fish for safe disposal. �Importers of frozen animal products should note that proper and constant maintenance of the cold chain, as well as hygiene during storage and /or transportation of their frozen products are basic requirements to guarantee product wholesomeness.� The FDB says it will continue its monitoring of the operations of all Bulk Cold Storage Facilities to ensure that they adhere strictly to Good Cold Storage Practices. It therefore assured the public that it will continue to do all in its power to protect public health and safety. The FDB can be contacted by the general public to provide information on persons suspected to be in any practice with the potential of endangering public health and safety with respect to FDB�s on the following numbers: 0244337235, 0244337243, 0243189692 or 0244337251.