The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Roderick Kwabena Daddey-Adjei, has dismissed online claims that vendors are adding plastic to oil used to fry plantain chips to make them crispier.

Speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Wednesday, March 11, he described the reports as false and misleading, noting that such myths are not exclusive to Ghana.

He explained that the FDA is still carrying out nationwide market checks to investigate the allegations, but so far, there is no evidence that plastic is being used in frying plantain chips.

“What is going around is purporting that if you use plastic, the plastic melts and then coats the plantain, and therefore it becomes crisp. That is wrong, and that is something we have already put out there on social media and on YouTube, where we emphasize that these are myths, in fact not only in Ghana. There are other places in Asia where such stories and some people who want to trend come up with such stories.

“We want to assure the public that so far the FDA hasn’t had such evidence and is still conducting the market surveillance. If you put such plastics in oil, the plastic is another type of chemistry, and the oil is edible, they don’t mix so people should not come up with such information,” he said.

He also encouraged the public to report any food safety concerns directly to the FDA, rather than spreading videos or rumors on social media that may be inaccurate.