FDA dismisses claims of plastic used in frying plantain chips

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has dismissed viral claims that plastic is added to oil used to fry plantain chips to make the snack crispier.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority, Roderick Kwabena Daddey-Adjei, described the allegations as false and misleading while addressing the issue on Channel One Newsroom on Wednesday, March 11.

According to him, the regulator has already begun market surveillance across the country following the circulation of videos and messages on social media suggesting that some vendors mix melted plastic with cooking oil used to fry plantain chips.

Plantain chips are a widely consumed street snack in Ghana, and the claims have stirred public concern about food safety.

In recent days, social media discussions have alleged that some processors melt plastic bags or containers into boiling oil when frying the chips. The practice is said to help the oil last longer while giving the snack an unusually long-lasting crunch that remains even after days of exposure to air.

However, Daddey-Adjei said there is currently no evidence to support the claims.

“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,” he said.

He explained that the chemical properties of plastic make the allegation scientifically unsound.

“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 stated.

The FDA official indicated that the ongoing checks in markets and production points will continue as part of efforts to maintain food safety standards.

Dad­dey-Adjei also urged members of the public to report any suspected food safety violations directly to the authority rather than sharing unverified claims online.