More than two decades after Ghana banned the importation and sale of turkey tail, popularly known as tsofi, the product continues to appear in markets and cold stores across the country.
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says the continued presence of the banned frozen meat is largely due to smuggling and the way importers conceal it within consignments of other frozen products.
Turkey tail was officially banned in Ghana in 1999 over health concerns linked to its high fat content. Health experts have long warned that excessive consumption of the product could increase the risk of obesity, hypertension, heart disease, and other related health complications.
Despite the restrictions, tsofi remains accessible in parts of the country, raising fresh concerns among consumers and regulators about food safety and enforcement challenges.
Speaking to Citi News, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of the Food Division at the FDA, Roderick Kwabena Daddey-Adjei, admitted that authorities continue to face difficulties in detecting the banned product at the country’s ports and entry points.
According to him, some importers use unapproved routes to bring in the product, while others cleverly mix turkey tail with approved frozen foods, making it harder for inspectors to identify during routine examinations.
“It might be that people will use some unapproved routes. Some will even be able to use the port. But like I said, it is frozen and then it is mixed up with other items in the consignment,” he explained.
He further noted that inspections at ports are often based on sampling rather than a complete examination of every item in a shipment, which creates loopholes for contraband products to slip through.
“It is not like a 100 percent check. You sample, then pick, and then look at it,” he added.
Mr. Daddey-Adjei disclosed that the FDA and other relevant authorities are now stepping up surveillance measures through what he described as “side verification inspections” targeting importers of frozen products.
The renewed enforcement effort comes amid growing concerns over the circulation of unapproved frozen foods on the Ghanaian market and the potential risks they pose to public health.
