Bogus Margarine probe...Food and Drug Department makes additional find

Bogus Margarine probe…Food and Drug Department makes additional find

Feb 05, 2014 News

…but fails to pinpoint perpetrators
Investigations by the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department into the recent bogus margarine find in Berbice have led officials to believe that the perpetrator(s) have ceased their operations in the Ancient County. At least this is according to Director of the entity, Mr. Marlan Cole.

Food and Drug Director, Marlan Cole

Cole, in an invited comment to this publication, disclosed that from all indications the operation has not been extended to other parts of the country. “They have apparently gone underground,” he told Kaieteur News.
It was just last month that bogus margarine was found on the shelf of a Berbice shop complete with labelling suggesting that it was the widely used ‘Golden Cream’ brand, a product of Sterling Products Limited. The discovery, which was the first counterfeit find for this year for the Food and Drug Department, was in fact made by members of the local manufacturing and marketing firm’s sales team that would frequent the Berbice area to sell various products.
Upon discovering the 10-kilogramme bucket of margarine, moves were immediately made by Sterling Products Limited to report the matter to the Food and Drug Department, which together with other relevant authorities (and officials of Sterling Products) launched an investigation. This publication was informed that even the Port Health Authority was involved in the operation, as it was believed that the counterfeit product was being manufactured in a neighbouring territory.
Cole had disclosed that he is doubtful that the product is being manufactured locally, since he is of the belief that the requisite mechanisms are not available in Berbice to produce and package it. However, should the origin of the product be found to be here or associated with anyone here, Cole noted that legal action could be taken by the Food and Drug Department or the affected company.
He noted too that based on the Food and Drug Act, Chapter 34:03, the Food and Drug Department could close down any manufacturing operation here linked to the counterfeit product and seize all related equipment.
But according to Cole, the investigating team was only able to find two more of the counterfeit margarine – one in Region Five and another in Region Six.
The Food and Drug Department was moreover unable to ascertain the true origin of the counterfeit product, the label of which was fraught with discrepancies when compared to the legitimate product.
In its attempt to alert the public about the bogus product, the Food and Drug Department pointed out that although the label read “Golden Cream’ it didn’t have the word margarine or a visible note stating “free of transfat” while the colour of the label is a deeper blue and lighter yellow than the legitimate product label.
Cole said that although the investigation has not yet pinpointed the perpetrators, efforts will be sustained to monitor the local market.
In stating his displeasure about the disturbing find last month, Quality Assurance Manager at Sterling Products, Robert Ross, in a comment to this publication, pondered over the fact that “there is a product that is a counterfeit out there and there is no accountability for it; it is under a brand it shouldn’t be under.”