Expired rice: Lamens Investments fined GH¢100k by FDA for regulatory violations

Lamens Investments Africa Limited has been fined GH¢100,000.00 by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for the violation of regulatory requirements in the handling of Moshosho Rice imported from India.

The FDA says the fine comes as a result of the company’s re-bagging of about 22,000 bags of 50kg rice, which were imported from India but labelled as “Made in Ghana.”

The repacking of the products did not include vital information like manufacturing and expiration dates, which is in violation of the laws of Ghana.

In a statement issued by the FDA after its investigations, it said the company re-bagged the rice without approval from the Authority, a critical step required to ensure product integrity and compliance with safety standards.

The statement said the re-bagging operations were carried out in an unlicensed facility, and the company failed to ensure FDA supervision during the process.

“The FDA imposed an administrative fine of GH¢100,000 on Lamens Investments Africa Limited for the following regulatory breaches: Re-bagging the rice without prior FDA approval, Conducting re-bagging operations in an unlicensed facility, and Failing to ensure FDA supervision during the re-bagging process,” portions of the statement read.

But the FDA stated that the amount fined the company has nothing to do with the quality of the rice since it passed through rigorous laboratory analyses, but rather the packaging which was done without the authority’s approval.

According to the FDA, the tests were carried by credible institutions in both Ghana and India, including the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which confirmed that the rice met safety standards.

But the FDA says the importer’s handling of the product was against the standard procedure of the Authority which compromises public health.

In a separate development, the FDA recently approved an extension of the rice’s Best Before date from December 20, 2023, to April 30, 2024, after thorough scientific evaluation.

However, the Authority declined a request to extend the date further to December 2024, citing insufficient stability data to justify the extension.

The FDA also addressed public concerns about its acceptance of part payments for administrative fines.

It explained further that this practice allows regulatory actions to proceed without delay, ensuring that companies remain accountable while adhering to their financial commitments.

Reaffirming its mission to safeguard public health, the FDA emphasised that such enforcement actions are essential to maintaining trust in the food supply chain.

“We will continue to uphold the highest standards, taking decisive actions to protect public health and safety,” the FDA said.

The post Expired rice: Lamens Investments fined GH¢100k by FDA for regulatory violations first appeared on 3News.

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