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A Dietician and TV Host on UTV, Nana Kofi Owusu, has said that some greengrocers use formalin to keep their fruits and vegetables fresh for a longer period.

According to him, formalin, which is commonly used as an industrial disinfectant, and as a preservative in funeral homes and medical labs can also be used as a preservative in some foods and products, such as antiseptics, medicines, and cosmetics.

Nana Kofi Owusu added that severe exposure can cause death, from throat swelling or from chemical burns to the lungs where some individuals may experience adverse effects such as watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, wheezing, nausea, and skin irritation.

He said by injecting formalin into the fruits and vegetables, it keep them fresh just like it does to dead bodies.

He explained that formalin when consumed can cause severe abdominal pains and also cancer which can lead to death.

He again advised consumers to be extra careful when there are certain fruits and vegetables which are out of season yet they are abundant on the market.

Nana Kofi Owusu also advised consumers to get fruits and vegetables when they are in season, since they are not difficult to come by so as to store them by using the drying method.