The Food and Drugs Board in collaboration with allied agencies and partners in the food industry are accelerating progress towards dealing with the ban on Chinese milk products in the country.  At a strategic meeting on “Melamine Adulteration of Milk Products and Trade Implication” at Akosombo, the Acting Deputy Chief Executive of the Food and Drugs Board, John Odame Darkwa said addition of melamine to milk is dangerous to human health and explained that melamine gives a high false protein value and described the practice as pre-adulteration and commercial fraud which violates international food safety laws including the Food and Drugs Act. 

Mr. Odame Darkwah expressed worry about the trade in food between Ghana and China which is strong and unidirectional with hundreds of imports from China yearly.  He noted that the globalization of food supply can introduce new food safety risks, revive previous controlled risks and spread contaminated food wider. 

Mr. Odame-Darkwa said there are lots of Chinese milk and milk products on the markets and the FDB is soliciting support from the Ghana Union of Traders Association in Post market surveillance activities  to ensure that brands on the market are not repackaged. He urged all countries to share the responsibility to ensure food safety. 

The Acting Head of the Food Inspectorate Department of FDB, Ebenezer Kofi Essel said the intake of melamine leads to kidney stones which cause bladder cancer, urinary tract ulcers and reproductive damage. 

Mr. Essel said, the board has so far visited 355 supermarkets, 137 pharmacy shops, some warehouse and major markets in the country to clear the product.  He said the FDB is intensifying its security to prevent repackaging and is collaborating with CEPS for effective import control activities to ensure good health. 

He assured the public that all infant formulae and milk based products will be sampled and tested before entry into the country.