FDA warns public against unregistered ‘Sukudai’ substance

The Food and Drugs Authority (Ghana) (FDA) has cautioned the public against using a substance commonly known as “Sukudai,” warning that the unregistered product could pose serious health risks.

The warning follows a viral video circulating on social media claiming that the substance, reportedly sold mainly in the Kumasi metropolis as a heart-cleansing remedy, can corrode styrofoam plates, raising concerns about its chemical composition.

In a public alert issued on Friday, March 13, the FDA said laboratory analysis of samples collected in Kumasi confirmed that the product contains Chloroform.

“The FDA cautions the public that Sukudai is not registered by the Authority. Besides, laboratory analysis of samples collected in the Kumasi Metropolis has confirmed the presence of chloroform,” the Authority said.

The FDA explained that chloroform is a colourless liquid with a pleasant odour and slightly sweet taste that was previously used as an anaesthetic in surgery and in some pharmaceutical preparations. However, it is no longer used in medicine due to its toxicity and links to serious health effects, including cancer.

According to the Authority, ingesting or inhaling chloroform allows the substance to rapidly enter the body and can cause adverse health effects such as drowsiness, breathing difficulties, liver and kidney damage, loss of consciousness and, in severe cases, death.

The FDA said it is collaborating with stakeholders, including the Ghana Police Service and other national security agencies, to educate the public and clamp down on the distribution and sale of the product.

The Authority urged the public to avoid using “Sukudai” and encouraged anyone who encounters the product being sold to report it through the complaint section of the FDA website or via its official hotlines and social media platforms.