Twenty-three market women and a driver have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the sale and distribution of palm oil, purportedly adulterated with Sudan IV (“Sudee”) dye.

The suspects were arrested in a joint operation by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Narcotics Division of the Ghana Police Service after 50 randomly sampled palm oils from 10 major markets in the Greater Accra Region were found to contain Sudan III and Sudan IV.

Results of the palm oils sampled from Mallam, Mallam Atta, Dome, Dansoman, Agbogbloshie, Kaneshie, Tema community 1, Ashaiman, Madina and Makola No.2 markets showed that 98% of the palm oil tested positive to Sudan IV dye.

“It is important to indicate that Sudan IV dye has potentially carcinogenic effects (category 2) according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer,” a release signed by the Chief Executive of the FDA, Hudu Mogtari, stated.

The statement indicated that category 2 carcinogenic substances have no tolerable daily intake values. Thus, no level of the consumption of the dye can be said to be safe.

Furthermore, it pointed out that risk analysis of the health effects of the consumption of the dye indicates that continuous exposure and high levels of Sudan IV dye increase the risk of cancer.

Mr. Mogtari said the FDA would continue to collaborate with the Ghana Police Service to clamp down on the perpetrators of this prohibited act across the country.

“The FDA therefore, wishes to caution all Processors, Wholesalers, Distributors and Retailers that adulteration is a prohibited act as spelt out in Section 100 of the Public Health Act 2012 (Act 851),” he said.