A groundbreaking study by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), supported by UNICEF, has exposed widespread lead contamination in popular food and cosmetic items nationwide, posing severe health risks—particularly to children and pregnant women—through traditional remedies and household staples.
Conducted across all 16 administrative regions, the National Summary Report on Heavy Metal Contaminant Assessment tested for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) in products like turmeric, cereal mixes (“Tom Brown”), bentonite clay (“Ayilor”), kohl (“Kaji Kaji” or “kholi”), and skin-lightening creams.
The findings, released on October 9, 2025, reveal contamination rates exceeding safe limits by tens of thousands in some cases, urging immediate bans and public awareness.
Key Sources of Lead Exposure
The study pinpointed several alarming culprits, often used innocently in daily life:
Kaji Kaji (Kholi) – Traditional Eyeliner: Mothers apply this black powder around children’s eyes to “brighten” them or ward off evil. About 80% of samples contained dangerously high lead levels, some tens of thousands above permissible limits. Upper East and Eastern regions showed 100% contamination rates.
Health experts warn of neurological damage, developmental delays, and anemia in children.
White Baked Clay (Shire, Ayilor, Farinkasa) – Pregnancy Cravings: Nearly 25% of samples consumed by pregnant women for mineral relief were lead-contaminated, with 24.62% rates in bentonite clay (“Ayilor”) from Northeast and Greater Accra. This risks fetal brain damage and low birth weight.
Tom Brown – Infant Cereal Mix: 4.4% of market samples showed high lead contamination, with 29% cadmium rates overall, hitting hardest in Northeast, Western North, and Oti regions. This staple for weaning babies can impair cognitive growth.
Old Plumbing and Cookware: Lead leaches from outdated pipes into drinking water and from contaminated pots during cooking, a pervasive issue in rural and urban homes alike, contributing to chronic exposure.
Health and Societal Impact
Lead poisoning, often symptomless, causes irreversible harm: in children, it impairs IQ, behavior, and learning; in adults, high blood pressure and kidney damage; and in pregnant women, miscarriage risks.
UNICEF Ghana Representative Ms. Abubakar highlighted the “silent threat”: “Children in Ghana are unknowingly exposed to a toxic threat – lead, a heavy metal that can cause irreversible damage to their health and development.
FDA CEO Dr. Christian K Addo warned, “Heavy metals have no nutritional value and are toxic to humans,” calling for immediate product withdrawals and public education.
The FDA has banned contaminated items and launched awareness campaigns, while UNICEF advocates for safer alternatives and regulatory enforcement.
Calls for Action
Experts urge banning lead in cosmetics and food, upgrading water infrastructure, and educating communities on risks.
Social media reactions on X show alarm, with users sharing tips on lead-free options and tagging health authorities.
This study, the first comprehensive national assessment, calls for urgent multi-stakeholder action to safeguard public health.
