Bakers alerted of banned chemical

Takoradi, Sept. 7, GNA - Bakers have been alerted of the re-introduction of the banned chemical, Potassium Bromate, on the market in a deceptively packaged form by some unscrupulous people. The chemical, known to be a health hazard now comes in the form of a whitish powder, giving it the same appearance as that of the permitted ascorbic acid.

Mr Nuhu Sumaila, a Laboratory Technician at the Takoradi Flour Mills Limited, dropped the hint when members of the Ghana National Flour Users Association visited the Mill.

He told them to report people who come to them with the chemical to the security agencies, pointing out that, laboratory tests had shown that combination of potassium bromate and ascorbic acid produces a reaction that could have devastating health problems for people. Mr Sumaila said the level of ascorbic acid in the flour supplied by the mills was sufficient and bakers have no reason to add any additional chemicals.

Responding to complaints by the Association about the poor quality of flour at times delivered to them, Mr Boakye Boateng, the Plant Engineer, said their company places premium on the maintenance of high quality standards.

He blamed the problem bakers sometimes encounter in the use of flour to fungi infection and advised them not to compromise on environmental standards.

Mrs Comfort Akotua, President of the Association, called on the mills to ensure that their bagged products meet the approved weight measurement.

She said there had been instances where some bagged flour produced by the companies do not meet the 50-kilogramme weight, pointing out that, some weighed as low as 45 kilogrammes. Mrs Akotua asked the flour producers to institute annual awards for bakers as they do for the distributors.