Further analysis of the COA FS test results from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research shows that there is still some form of contamination.
This was after Prime News reached out to an expert in the field of medicine to explain what the documents which sort to counter the Food and Drug Authority's claim that COA FS is contaminated actually meant.
It will be recalled that the FDA ordered the manufacturer of the COA FS drug, to recall the food supplement from the market back to the point of sale.
According to the FDA, laboratory analysis on random COA FS products picked from the manufacturing company and the market, showed that the product had been found to contain Escherichia coli, a type of bacteria that normally lives in the intestines, Â microbial, mold and yeast contamination.
READ ALSO: Test results prove COA FS Food Supplement not contaminated
COA FS have run series of their own independent test on the drug just to prove that the drug is not contaminated as claimed by the FDA.
Even though their latest results showed the drug was free from some of the elements FDA listed, an expert in the field of medicine Kwame Sarpong Asiedu says there are still significant amounts of some elements like Enterococci, which is harmful if consumed.
He also pointed out that there was also aerobic bacteria detected in high amounts.
"My first observation was the presence of significant amounts of Enterococci (gram negative bacteria often found in the human gut and faeces). This is a contaminant that is used together with E. Coli to estimate the presence of faecal matter in drinking water and liquid medicinal products. For water to be consumed by humans, the limit for Enterococci is not more than 35 cfu/100mL. This must not be different for medicinal products to be consumed by humans. An inspection of the certificates in circulation indicates that all three samples had counts greater than 20 cfu/ml or 2000 cfu/100ml. A clear read flag for any practitioner in the area of pharmaceutical quality control.
Other contaminants that were found as per the certificates included yeast (fungi) with counts that suggest that significant fermentation of the product could occur between the time of production, storage and sale. Thus making the product unwholesome for the consumer. There was also aerobic bacteria detected in high amounts. Two other red flags.
For me these microbial certificates if anything, confirm the position of the FDA and justify why the mass product recall was ordered. This is because at no point in all correspondence I have seen does the FDA question the efficacy of COA-FS as an immune coaster. Rather they acted because of the risk these contaminants pose to the general public. A situation these certificates from the Center for Awareness on COA-FS put beyond doubt."
Background
Ever since COVID-19 surfaced, there was a mad rush for the product as many believed it was able to boost the immune system which could prevent one from contracting the deadly virus.
Then the FDA came in and ordered COA Herbal Centre the manufacturers of COA FS Food Supplement to recall a specific batch of the drugs.
Portions of their statement read: "The Food and Drugs Authority wishes to notify the general public of a recall involving all batches of COA FS food supplement manufactured by COA Herbal Centre, Cape Coast and registered with the FDA as a food supplement"
This is as a result of laboratory analysis on samples picked from the market and the manufacturing facility of COA Herbal Centre in Wusorkrom near Cape Coast…showed excessive microbial, mould and yeast contamination,â€.
The FDA, after COA FS first debunked their claims that the drugs were contaminated, stood by their own test results and stated that they do proper checks before issuing public statement on products.
READ ALSO: COA FS Food Supplement found contaminated, FDA orders product recall
Head of laboratories at the FDA, Eric Kakari Boateng urged COA Herbal to submit their own test results to the FDA for the necessary next line of action to be determined.
Prime News checks with COA FS management indicate that the cooperating with officials at FDA to regularize and ensure their product meets the acceptable standard.
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