THE news that Beech-Nut Whole Grain Oatmeal and Mixed Fruit baby food, and a product of PNT Pharmacy Limited, is unwholesome for human consumption is very disturbing. This was detected by the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) following a sample test it conducted which established that the Beech-Nut Whole Grain Oatmeal and Mixed Fruit was weevil infested.
Mr Kofi Essel, the Head of Food Inspectorate of FDB, confirmed this in an interview with the Daily Graphic. It is however refreshing that the Beech-Nut Multigrain another baby product of PNT Pharmacy Limited is healthy for consumption, according to the FDB report.
FOLLOWING its findings, the FDB has ordered for the immediate withdrawal of the baby food, Beech-Nut Whole Grain Oatmeal and Mixed Fruit from the market. We think that the matter should not just stop at mere withdrawal of the product from the market, but should further be investigated.
ALTHOUGH the directive of ensuring that the product is withdrawn from the market is necessary, TODAY believes that the FDB should go beyond that directive. It should, for instance, liaise with the ministry of information to allow it use some of their information vans to educate the growing public—especially mothers to refrain from buying the said product.
TODAY’s submission is premised on the fact that there are retailers who, adamantly, would not want to let go the product because they still believe that they have to break even. That is why we are urging officials of FDB to do more in containing the situation before we start recording baby deaths in this country.
IT is also good news that the distributor of the baby food has agreed to comply with FDB’s directive, and to further provide the FDB with its distribution list. This will help in the FDB’s monitoring of the product.
WE are also seizing this opportunity to advise Ghanaians not to patronise the commodity since it has some health implications. Furthermore, the public should be vigilant and be encouraged to report retailers who are still found selling the baby food on the market to the law enforcement agencies.
WE also believe that PNT Pharmacy Limited must be dealt with according to the laws of the country. This is because they should have detected that this problem and taken corrective measures to deal with the situation. We hope that companies will take a cue from this and not flood our markets with unhealthy commodities.