Trelawny doctor outlines warning signs after metal found in PCSC brown sugar

FLORENCE HALL, Trelawny — A medical doctor is offering guidance to Jamaicans who may have consumed brown sugar from Pan-Caribbean Sugar Company Limited (PCSC) after metal fragments were detected in samples of the product last week.

Speaking to the Jamaica Observer by telephone on Monday, Trelawny-based practitioner Dr Michael Godfrey laid out the symptoms that should prompt a visit to a doctor. "If the person should consume it and they are having stomach irritation, pain in the stomach or cough and see blood, then its best to go and see a doctor," he said.

Dr Godfrey, a well-known figure in the parish, warned that swallowing the contaminated sugar carries a risk of internal bleeding, particularly where the metal pieces are jagged. "They might just pass it out but if it has sharp edges it can cause scraping and internal bleeding too," he explained.

He pointed out, however, that in many cases the fragments will move harmlessly through the digestive tract. "There is a transit time for passing through the guts, so if they take it from yesterday and they are not seeing anything, more likely it would be passed out in the stool without any problem," he assured.

The medical advice follows a stop order issued by the Ministry of Health and Wellness on the production, distribution and sale of sugar from PCSC, after preliminary laboratory testing turned up metal fragments in packaged samples bought at retail outlets.

"The Ministry of Health & Wellness is advising members of the public not to consume packaged sugar produced by the Pan Caribbean Sugar Company. This follows as a preliminary laboratory test has identified metal fragments in samples of this brand of sugar purchased at retail outlets, which may pose a significant health risk, if ingested. The public is therefore asked to safely discard this brand of sugar and await further updates from the Ministry of Health and Wellness," the ministry said in a statement last week.

The ministry added that "further investigations are under way, and the Ministry of Health and Wellness will provide official updates once laboratory results confirm that any food safety risks have been resolved and the product is safe for consumption."

The National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA) has separately committed to ramping up checks on sugar quality across the island. Last week the agency announced an immediate nationwide recall of PCSC products after a consumer's TikTok video appeared to show metal contamination in a purchase.

The NCRA said it has stepped up surveillance and enforcement throughout the sugar supply chain, including targeted inspections, more frequent sampling at retail outlets and distributors, and closer cooperation with accredited laboratories carrying out chemical and microbiological testing.