The Food and Drugs Authority has directed the withdrawal of all batches of 16 brands of tomato paste from the market.

According to a statement, the products were found to contain ingredients such as starch and colour (erythrosine) that were not indicated on the labels.

The products include Alyssa Tomato Paste, Aicha Tomato Paste, Shalom Tomato Paste, Mama and Papa Tomato Paste; Juliet Tomato Paste, Star-Time Tomato Paste and Daily Double Concentrated Tomato Paste.

The others are Prestige Tomato Paste, Roi Lion Double Concentrated Tomato Paste, Richese Tomato Paste, Green Garden Tomato Paste and Rococo Tomato Paste.

The rest are Nano Tomato Paste, Tasty Family Tomato Paste and Ma Bravo Tomato Paste.

The authority explained that the products do not conform to the Ghana standards for Tomato Paste (GS 246: 2013 Processed Fruits and Vegetables – Specification for Tomato Paste and Tomato Puree – 3rd  Edition and its revision GS 246:2019-4th Edition) and contravene the General Labeling Law, LI 1541).

It added that the tomato paste products were detected after intensive market surveillance activities and subsequent laboratory analysis by the FDA.