Hohoe: The Hohoe Municipal Environmental Health and Sanitation Department has destroyed expired food products seized from sellers in the Municipality.
According to Ghana News Agency, the products destroyed included tins of tomato sauce, crates of assorted soft and alcoholic drinks, paper drinks, sachets of spices, and margarine. Mr. Divine Abotsi, Hohoe Municipal Environmental Health Analyst, stated that the Department conducted store inspections to retrieve expired products and sought court approval before destroying them.
Mr. Abotsi explained that products could become unwholesome not only due to expiry dates but also because of improper handling, which could render them unsafe for consumption. He highlighted that food or products in cans, such as creams, could become unsafe if they were dented or 'bloated'.
The Department continues to educate both sellers and buyers on the importance of checking expiry dates and ensuring the good condition of products. Mr. Abotsi also pointed out that some sellers deliberately remove expiry dates from products, and during inspections, it was found that identical products in a pack sometimes had different expiry dates.
He added that many retailers perceive the Department's efforts as targeting their businesses, which is not the intention. The primary goal is to ensure public safety.