Beware of expired toothpaste selling at reduced price - Food and Drug Dept. warns

Beware of expired toothpaste selling at reduced price – Food and Drug Dept. warns

Dec 03, 2020 News

Pictures of the expired toothpaste.

Kaieteur News – Consumers are asked to beware of expired Colgate toothpaste reportedly on sale at a significantly reduced price.
According to a statement issued by the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD), the toothpaste has been expired since October 2002. The issue was brought to the Department’s attention by a consumer complaint.
As such, the Department dispatched an alert to the members of the National Food Safety and Control Committee, Public Health and Environmental Health Officers (EHO’s) in all 10 administrative Regions and municipalities.
It is reported that the inspectors of the Department assisted by ranks from the Guyana Police Force visited several retail outlets in Georgetown including the Bourda Market, the Stabroek Bazaar and the La Penitence Market, where the expired products were seized and removed from premises.
Similar exercises are currently being conducted in Regions Two, Three, Six, Eight and 10.
The release also stated that the Department is currently awaiting the result from the exercise carried out in some regions. Expired products have been found in Stabroek and Bourda Markets, and indicate they were manufactured for Canada.
The police have since arrested one retailer for knowingly and deliberately selling an expired product to unsuspecting consumers.
The Department posited that criminal charges will be filed against any retailers and wholesalers/distributors under the Public Health Ordinance CAP 145 Section 99 and the Food and Drug Act CAP 34:03 Section 14(b).
According to the consumer who raised the complaint to the Department, within three days of using the product, severe pain and headache symptoms occurred for a few days even after the product use was discontinued.
The release stated that, the Department is strongly advising consumers, particularly during the festive season, to pay closer attention to the expiry date and the label of products.
Consumers are also advised not to consume or use products that are in a foreign language, have their expiry date removed or that appear suspicious. The GA-FDD requests that anyone having additional information, or is affected, to make contact with the Department on telephone number 222-8859.
Meanwhile, the official distributor of the product, Massy Distributors, has since written to the Department distancing itself from the product since it is not part of its supply chain and is currently assisting the Department with the investigation.

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