The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has expressed its readiness to undergo audits by local and international bodies to validate its actions concerning allegations of approving unwholesome rice distributed to senior high schools (SHS).
The FDA has faced backlash for allegedly failing to conduct due diligence before extending the best-before date for over 22,000 bags of rice imported by Lamens Investments Africa Limited.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, November 26, the FDA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, justified the authority’s actions, emphasizing strict adherence to regulatory standards.
“The FDA is open to audits by qualified local and international bodies to validate all its actions,” she stated.
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She explained, “The authority, like other authorities globally, may use accepted regulatory extensions of best before dates, following rigorous testing and compliance with storage requirements, and this is in line with international best practices.”
She assured the public of the FDA’s commitment to transparency and safeguarding public health amid the ongoing scrutiny.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring food safety and protecting public health,” she affirmed.
Addressing concerns about the rice in question, Dr. Darko confirmed that comprehensive testing and verification processes were conducted before its release.
“The FDA also wishes to assure the public that it confronts the wholesomeness of the consignment of rice in question and gives assurance that with all the other certificates that were submitted from India, from PPRSD, from CSIR-FRI, and concluded that the rice was wholesome before it was released for distribution,” she insisted.