Sudan dye in palm oil products has been banned by the Ghana FDA

The Ghana Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a stern warning to palm oil producers across the nation to stop mixing red oil with Sudan dye before selling it. According to the FDA, its organization has a set of stringent regulatory punishments in place for anyone caught in this conduct. Furthermore, the FDA has issued a warning that “Sudan IV dye is not approved for use in food products, Sudan dyes are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as Group 3 carcinogens and are banned as food additives worldwide (IARC, 1987)”.    

Delese Mimi Darko, the FDA's Chief Executive, made the announcement in Accra during the introduction of the Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association app, a digital technological gadget aimed at safeguarding the sector and ensuring authentic and healthy palm oil exportation for the worldwide market. To combat the threat of a chemical called Sudan IV, which is occasionally added to palm oil, the organization has created an app that allows customers to monitor the source of palm oil and its manufacturers before purchasing and consuming it.    

The Chief Executive of the Ghanaian FDA stated that the use of Sudan dyes as food additives is hazardous, toxic, and illegal, a view echoed by the USFDA, EU, and FDA Ghana. Moreover, the Sudan IV dye warnings have been received frequently every year since 2017 from the International Food Safety Alert Systems such as RSFF and INFOSAN; this is a concerning scenario since it may limit Ghana's prospects of being a prospective palm oil exporter due to the EU's blacklisting.    

 

Source:  

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1095533/fda-bans-sudan-dye-in-palm-oil-products.html