A comprehensive study conducted across the country’s 16 regions has revealed significant contamination of commonly used food and cosmetic products with heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury.
The research, carried out by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in collaboration with UNICEF, tested 1,691 samples of turmeric, cereal mixes, bentonite clay (ayilo), kohl (kajikaji), and various skin-lightening creams and lotions often used by women and children.
UNICEF health specialist Dr. Emmanuel Kyeremateng-Amoah said some kohl samples contained lead concentrations as high as 11,000 parts per million (ppm), over 100 times the safe limit of 20 ppm.
He noted that lead contamination was highest in unbranded, locally made kohl products, with 78% of samples from the Upper East and Eastern regions failing safety standards.
For turmeric, 42.1% of samples exceeded safe lead levels, especially in the Greater Accra and Central regions.
Surprisingly, the unsafe levels were mostly found in branded and packaged turmeric sold in supermarkets and retail shops.
The study also revealed that 29% of cereal mixes, such as Tom Brown, failed cadmium safety tests nationwide.
Bentonite clay, widely used for cosmetics and traditional medicinal purposes, showed a 24.6% failure rate for lead, with the Northeast and Greater Accra regions recording the highest contamination.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, Dr. Kyeremateng-Amoah explained that industrial pollution, particularly from used car batteries and poorly managed electronic waste, was a major source of lead contamination.
He added that UNICEF and its partners were developing a national plan to address the problem and called on the media to help educate the public.
He also urged that the Ministry of Health be equipped to test and diagnose lead exposure, emphasizing prevention as key.
FDA Deputy Chief Executive Officer Roderick Kwabena Daddey-Adjei warned that children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, absorbing four to five times more lead than adults.
Even small amounts, he said, can harm kidney and brain development, cause anaemia, slow speech growth, and lead to hearing problems, learning difficulties, and aggressive behaviour.
Exposure during pregnancy can also result in miscarriage or stillbirth.
“This is why a national roadmap is critical to prevent exposure and protect children across the country,” he stressed.
Mr. Daddey-Adjei reaffirmed the FDA’s commitment to setting standards and providing training for local pot makers to prevent the use of contaminated materials in utensils.
He said the FDA would intensify public education on the dangers of heavy metals in food and drinking water.
He also encouraged the public to report food safety concerns and highlighted the need for more resources and equipment to strengthen regulatory testing.
Paulina S. Addy, Director of the Women in Agriculture Development Directorate at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, proposed tax incentives for manufacturers of stainless steel utensils as a way to promote safer food handling practices.
She reaffirmed the ministry’s readiness to work with the FDA and other agencies to resolve food safety challenges.
