The Government Analyst–Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) yesterday warned consumers about the circulation of expired Colgate toothpaste that is on sale at a significantly reduced price and one retailer has been arrested.
In a statement, the GA-FDD said that the toothpaste had expired since October 2002. This practice was brought to the Department’s attention via a consumer complaint.
An alert was dispatched to members of the National Food Safety and Control Committee, Public Health and Environmental Health Officers (EHO’s) in all ten Administrative Regions and municipalities.
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 undertaken in regions in 2, 3, 6, 8 and 10, the statement said.
The Department said it is currently awaiting the results of the exercise carried out in the outlying regions. Expired products have been found in the Stabroek and Bourda Markets and indicate they were manufactured for Canada. Law enforcement officers who accompanied Inspectors of the Department have arrested one retailer for knowingly and deliberately selling an expired product to unsuspecting consumers.
According to the consumer who made the complaint to the Department; within three days of using the product, severe pain and headaches occurred which persisted for a few days after the use of the toothpaste was discontinued.
The Department is advising consumers, particularly during the festive season to pay closer attention to the expiry date and the label of products. Consumers are further advised not to consume or use products that are in a foreign language, have had their expiry dates removed or appear suspicious. The GA-FDD says that anyone having additional information or who has been affected to make contact with the Department on telephone number 222-8859.
The statement said that the official distributor of the toothpaste, Massy Distributors, has since written to the Department distancing itself from this product since it is not part of their supply chain. It is currently assisting the Department with the investigation.
