The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) has issued a Consumer Advisory against the use of DOST Patent Barley following discoveries of the product being adulterated. The product from Canada which was packed exclusively for a local distributor was flagged by the GA-FDD after it was found to be contaminated with wheaten flour.
Analysis conducted by the Food Chemistry laboratory of the GA-FDD determined the product to be adulterated and this was after weeks of meticulous investigation and collaboration among Inspectors and Analytical Scientific Officers.
DOST Patent Barley
The investigation was initiated as a result of concerns raised and complaints lodged at the monthly National Food Safety and Control Committee meeting.
The Department has since visited the premises of the distributor, Geetanjali Rai at Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara, where on both occasions; the Inspectors were unable to gain access to the premises to continue their investigation. According to the GA-FDD advisory, Rai is now in violation of the Laws of Guyana, firstly the Food and Drug Act Chapter 34:03, Section 25, Part 5, which states that “Any person who sells an article of food that is adulterated is guilty of an offence”. Also, Rai is faced with denied access to a premise to which the Act applies in contravention to the Laws of Guyana Food and Drug Act Chapter 34:03 Part VI, Section 21, “Powers of Inspectors”.
Consumers are therefore advised not to purchase this particular brand of Patent Barley given the reports of contamination by the GA-FDD. Furthermore, the Department said it has widened the target to analyse similar products such as those that are also being imported from intra and extra regional countries. In addition, Environmental Health Officers within the regions will also be targeted as investigations on the other brands are to be submitted to the Department for analysis. The Department said it will continue to utilise the resources that are to their disposal to facilitate trade and most importantly to protect consumers against falsified and/or substandard food, drug, cosmetics and medical devices.
