Study by UNICEF and FDA finds toxic heavy metals in foods, ayilo and cosmetic products

A nationwide assessment has uncovered disturbing levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury in commonly consumed foods and widely used cosmetic products across all 16 regions of Ghana.

The joint study, conducted by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), examined 1,691 samples, including turmeric, cereal mixes, bentonite clay (ayilo), kohl (kajikaji), and skin-lightening creams and lotions—products frequently used by women and children.

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Presenting the findings in Accra, UNICEF health specialist Dr. Emmanuel Kyeremateng-Amoah described the results as “deeply concerning,” especially for children. Some kohl samples recorded lead concentrations as high as 11,000 parts per million (ppm)—over 100 times the safe limit of 20 ppm.

Lead contamination was found to be most severe in unbranded, locally produced kohl, with a particularly high failure rate of 78 percent in the Upper East and Eastern regions.

Turmeric samples showed a 42.1 percent failure rate for lead contamination, with the most affected areas being Greater Accra and the Central Region. Unlike kohl, the study found that unsafe lead levels in turmeric were more prevalent in branded and packaged products sold in supermarkets and retail outlets.

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The research also highlighted widespread contamination in other everyday items:

• Cereal mixes (e.g., Tom Brown): 29 percent failure rate for cadmium nationally.

• Bentonite clay (ayilo): 24.6 percent failure rate for lead, especially in the Northeast and Greater Accra regions.

• Skin-lightening products: Several samples contained unsafe levels of heavy metals, posing further risks to consumers.

Dr. Kyeremateng-Amoah noted that the contamination traced back to industrial sources, including used car batteries and unsafe electronic waste handling, both of which introduce heavy metals into the environment and food chain.

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UNICEF and partner agencies are developing a national action plan to curb heavy metal exposure. Dr. Kyeremateng-Amoah urged the media to play an active role in public education while recommending that the Ministry of Health strengthen the country’s diagnostic capacity for detecting lead exposure—especially in children.

According to FDA Deputy CEO Roderick Kwabena Daddey-Adjei, children are disproportionately affected because they absorb lead four to five times more than adults.

The health impacts, he warned, are severe:

• Impaired brain development

• Hearing and speech difficulties

• Learning challenges

• Kidney damage

• Anemia

• Growth delays

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• Aggressive behavior

• Risk of miscarriage or stillbirth if exposure occurs during pregnancy

He emphasized,

To reduce contamination risks, Mr. Daddey-Adjei said the FDA is intensifying nationwide sensitization campaigns targeting producers and consumers. The Authority is also working on new standards and training programs for local pot fabricators, many of whom unknowingly use scrap materials that contain heavy metals.

He urged the public to report suspicious food and cosmetic products and called for greater investment in laboratory equipment to strengthen regulatory enforcement.

Director of the Women in Agriculture Development Directorate at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Paulina S. Addy, proposed tax holidays for manufacturers of stainless steel cookware as a way to promote safer food-contact materials and discourage the use of contaminated alternatives.

She affirmed the ministry’s commitment to collaborate with the FDA and other agencies to address food safety challenges holistically.