FDA uncovers expired food items at Zuarungu SHS

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has impounded some expired food items from the storerooms of the Zuarungu Senior High School in the Upper East region.

The expired food items were seized and taken away when an FDA team appeared unannounced on the school’s campus in the Bolgatanga East District.

The FDA also urged school administrators to prioritise adherence to food safety standards within educational settings. The FDA warned that non-compliance could lead to penalties.

In an interview with Citi News on Friday, the FDA’s Upper East Regional Director, Sebastian Mawuli Hotor, encouraged school administrators to ensure that their facilities’ food supplies meet FDA safety standards.

“We went to Zuarungu SHS as one of the school kitchen inspection 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 neighbouring schools as well as from Buffer stock.

“From the document we requested for, we were given and then the products were the Free SHS mackerel, the royal gold hard wheat flour, pavani evaporated filled milk, paka tomato paste and queen [pilchards] in tomato sauce.”

“These were the products that we found that were expired. These were products that were supplied to the school for feeding the children. As part of our mandate, we confiscated them and taken them for safe disposal and it 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 stated.

Attempts by Citi News to obtain a response from the school authorities have so far been unsuccessful.