The Food and Drugs Authority has launched an operation to stop the sale and distribution of a substance known as “Sukudai” after laboratory tests revealed it contains chloroform, a dangerous chemical associated with severe health risks.
The product, which is being promoted as a heart-cleansing remedy, has reportedly been circulating in parts of Kumasi. However, the FDA says the substance has not been registered or approved for sale or medical use in Ghana.
The warning follows the circulation of a viral social media video showing the liquid corroding a Styrofoam plate, which prompted concerns about its chemical composition and triggered investigations by the regulator.
According to the FDA, laboratory analysis of samples collected from Kumasi confirmed the presence of chloroform — a chemical historically used as an anaesthetic but later discontinued because of its harmful health effects.
Health experts caution that exposure to chloroform through ingestion or inhalation can cause drowsiness, breathing difficulties, liver and kidney damage, loss of consciousness, and in severe cases cancer or death.
The authority said it is working together with the Ghana Police Service and national security agencies to track down distributors and halt the circulation of the substance.
The FDA has also warned that individuals involved in the sale or distribution of Sukudai or any other unregistered medicinal products risk arrest and prosecution.
Members of the public are being encouraged to report anyone selling the product through the FDA’s official complaint channels or hotlines as authorities intensify efforts to remove the substance from the market.
