Source: Africa Publicity
Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a public alert against the use of an alleged unregistered substance being sold under the name ‘Sukudai’.
The warning follows an investigation by local media outlet JoyNews which revealed the use of ‘Sukudai’.
Marketed primarily in the Kumasi Metropolis as a “heart-cleansing” remedy, the product has been found through laboratory analysis to contain high levels of chloroform, a toxic chemical with severe health consequences.
FDA’s public alert which was issued on Friday, March 13, 2026, follows the viral circulation of videos showing the substance corroding Styrofoam plates—a reaction that scientists say is linked to the powerful solvent properties of chloroform.
The FDA says chloroform was historically used as a surgical anaesthetic but was abandoned by the medical and pharmaceutical industries many years ago due to its extreme toxicity and its association with cancer.
Chloroform is a colourless liquid with a deceptively sweet taste and can be rapidly absorbed into the body through ingestion or inhalation.
The FDA warns that individuals who consume ‘Sukudai’ face immediate health risks, including:
▪︎Organ failure: Severe damage to the liver and kidneys.
▪︎Respiratory distress: Acute breathing difficulties and sedation.
▪︎Neurological effects: Drowsiness, loss of consciousness and, in extreme cases, death.
