Pretoria: The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has recalled specific batches of Citro-Soda Regular, following the discovery of potential contamination risks at the Adcock Ingram manufacturing facility in Clayville, Johannesburg.

According to South African Government News Agency, the recall affects Citro-Soda Regular 60g, 120g, and 4g sachets, with batch numbers starting with the letter ‘C,’ all produced at the Clayville site. Products manufactured at other facilities, including those produced in India, are not affected.

SAHPRA CEO, Dr. Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, confirmed the recall during a media briefing in Pretoria, stating the move demonstrates the regulator’s commitment to public safety. The CEO assured the public that the decision to recall the product followed a thorough inspection of the facility and a detailed assessment of its manufacturing practices.

The recall follows an inspection prompted by a whistleblower report, which uncovered serious non-compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards at the Clayville facility. SAHPRA has urged consumers to alert them of any quality defects that they come across.

SAHPRA Inspectorate and Regulatory Compliance Head, Lebohang Mazibuko, said critical deficiencies were identified, including contamination risks from metallic and black residues on equipment. Other issues included inadequate cleaning procedures, damaged and rusted equipment, and the absence of proper air handling systems to control contamination.

SAHPRA emphasised that the recall is limited to affected batches of Citro-Soda Regular produced at the Clayville facility and does not extend to other products manufactured by Adcock Ingram. Regulatory Compliance Manager, Mokgadi Daphney Fafudi, stated that the recall is being implemented across all distribution channels, including pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and retail outlets.

The regulator further urged consumers to take note of the batch numbers when purchasing the product. The SAHPRA will closely monitor both the recall process and compliance at the facility until all affected batches have been removed.