The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has taken action against expired food items found at Zuarungu Senior High School in the Upper East region. During an unannounced visit and inspection of the school’s storerooms, multiple brands of products, including mackerel, wheat flour, evaporated filled milk, tomato paste, and tomato sauce, were confiscated.
Sebastian Mawuli Hotor, the FDA’s Upper East Regional Director, emphasized the importance of ensuring that food supplies in educational facilities meet FDA safety standards. He warned that non-compliance would result in penalties.
“We went to Zuarungu SHS for one of the school kitchen inspections that we do. In one of their storerooms, we found about five different brands of products which were bad and then I think one out of them was unregistered as well. We got some from neighboring schools as well as from Buffer stock,” Mr. Hotor explained.
The confiscated products included Free SHS mackerel, Royal Gold hard wheat flour, Pavani evaporated filled milk, Paka tomato paste, and queen [pilchards] in tomato sauce. These expired products, supplied to the school for feeding the children, were taken for safe disposal as part of the FDA’s mandate.
Mr. Hotor also stated that periodic inspections will continue to enforce food safety guidelines across all food establishments, including school kitchens.
“This is something we will repeat from time to time just to ensure that food safety guidelines are adhered to in all food establishments including food kitchens,” he added.
The school has not responded to the issue yet. It is crucial for all educational institutions to prioritize food safety and adhere to FDA regulations to protect the health and well-being of students.
