Lead, Mercury Found in Turmeric, Tom Brown and Others – FDA Report
A National Summary Report on Heavy Metal Contaminant Assessment conducted by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has revealed high levels of heavy metals in some selected food and cosmetic products on the Ghanaian market.
The surveillance, carried out across all 16 administrative regions, assessed levels of Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), and Mercury (Hg) in turmeric, cereal mixes (tom brown), bentonite clay (“Ayilor”), kohl (“Kaji Kaji”), and some skin-lightening creams and lotions.
The National Summary Report was supported by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and its findings were presented to stakeholders, including market women, regulators, health professionals, researchers, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and development partners.
The findings revealed that kohl recorded 77.79 percent contamination rate for lead, with the Upper East and Eastern regions recording a 100 percent contamination rate.
Turmeric recorded a 42.09 percent contamination rate for lead, with the Greater Accra and Central regions recording the highest levels of contamination.
Cereal mixes, popularly called tom brown, recorded a 29 percent contamination rate for cadmium, with the Northeast, Western North, and Oti regions being the most affected. The report also revealed that bentonite clay (“Ayilor”) recorded a 24.62 percent contamination rate for lead, notably in the Northeastand Greater Accra regions.
It highlighted that unbranded products, particularly those from open markets and retail shops, were the main sources of contamination, raising serious public health concerns.
The report, however, noted that some skin-lightening creams and lotions achieved 100 percent compliance in certain regions, with no mercury contamination detected.
The Deputy Chief Executive of the Food Division at the FDA, Roderick Kwabena Dadie Agyei, said the authority was developing new guidelines to curb the menace, “tighten oversight duties for kohl products and put up stronger port surveillance.”
He added that safety checks for cereal mixes were being expanded, and recalls of contaminated brands nationwide had been initiated for affected turmeric products, alongside the rollout of stricter inspection of imports.
“The FDA believes that issues of traceability of food products should be taken seriously. We must know if these foodstuffs are coming from galamsey areas so that we can stop the supply. The heavy metals are causing birth defects and serious health challenges. We need to stop galamsey and change our agricultural practices,” Mr. Agyei said.
Health Specialist at UNICEF Ghana, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Kyerematen Amoah, said the smallest amount of lead in the body could damage developing organs in children, reduce their IQ, impair learning, and cause kidney and heart-related diseases.
He added that reducing lead in consumer products was a collaborative responsibility, saying, “This report is not the end; it is a call to decisive action. We owe it to our children, our families, and the generations yet unborn to make this country safe from the devastating effects of lead.
“We must develop and enforce standards and regulations for lead in consumer items. We must support trade groups and businesses to properly register their products and seek safer alternatives for public health protection,” the Health Specialist said.
