The Central Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has entreated citizens to exercise extreme caution when buying food, drinks, and other consumables for the Christmas festive occasion.

It said the public must be wary of unapproved, unhygienic, and sometimes expired products being disposed of by unscrupulous vendors under the guise of discounts.

Madam Francisca Anokye, the Regional Head, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), advised buyers to avoid bloated, dented, or rusted cans as well as products with broken seals and look out for expiry dates.

“Make sure that all the labellings are in English so that you can understand what you are purchasing, and when the date has been defaced or cleared off, please don’t buy it and contactthe FDA,” she urged.

Madam Anokye cautioned against buying medications and food from peddlers, indicating that peddlers were difficult to trace in case of adverse reactions and medical emergencies.

“Look out for clean environments and clean products; watch where and whom you are buying from. If it is ready-to-eat food, please look out for the food hygiene permit,” she stressed.

She said it was advisable to separate raw food from cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.

“When you are storing food in the fridge or freezer, you should store the ready-to-eat food above the raw foods so that in case there are any leakages from the raw foods, it would not get into the ready-to-eat foods,” she explained

To avoid any sickness after the celebrations, the FDA head advised that food should be cooked or heated well before consumption.

“Food, whether eaten hot or cold, must always be kept at the right temperature,” she added.

Madam Anokye pledgedthe FDA’s commitment to protecting the public before, during, and after the celebrations and urged cooperation from the public.

“FDA is there to support and protect you. In case you go out and meet any challenges in relation to food, drugs, household chemicals, cosmetics, and any other item, do not hesitate to contact the FDA,” she said.

“We will be do our market investigations as the celebration is ongoing,” she added.