By Ashiadey Dotse
Food safety experts have called for stronger collaboration among government, farmers, food processors, consumers and other stakeholders to reduce food contamination and improve public health in Ghana.
The call was made at the official launch of the 2026 Nutrition Month celebration held at the CSIR-Food Research Institute (CSIR-FRI) Library Conference Hall in Accra under the theme “Food Safety: Our Collective Responsibility” on Friday, July 18, 2026. The event aimed to intensify public education on food safety and promote healthy eating habits.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Director of the CSIR-Food Research Institute, Dr. Charlotte Oduro, stressed that ensuring food safety is not the responsibility of one person or institution but requires the collective efforts of everyone involved in the food chain.
A Quality Manager at CSIR-FRI, Ebenezer Tawiah, highlighted the global burden of food contamination, revealing that about 866 million people fall sick each year from contaminated food, while 1.52 million die as a result.
He said foodborne illnesses also result in an estimated US$310 million in health-related costs, reducing productivity and affecting the workforce.
Mr. Tawiah noted that in Ghana, diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera and acute diarrhoeal infections are commonly linked to contaminated food. He explained that some imported foods, particularly frozen products, fail to meet food safety standards because their cold chain is broken before reaching local markets.
He also cited the improper use of weedicides and insecticides by some farmers as another challenge affecting food safety.
To address the problem, Mr. Tawiah called for the strict enforcement of food safety laws, regular monitoring by government agencies, the adoption of good agricultural practices by farmers, proper food processing methods and safer transportation of food products.
He further recommended sustained public education and stronger stakeholder engagement to reduce food contamination and improve food security.
Mr. Tawiah concluded that food safety is a shared responsibility and urged every Ghanaian to play a role in protecting public health.
Also speaking at the event, the General Secretary of the Ghana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Joseph B. Danquah, advocated the introduction of Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPWL) to help consumers make healthier food choices and reduce diet-related diseases.
He expressed concern over the increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and processed foods by children, warning that such dietary habits expose them to non-communicable diseases later in life.
Mr. Danquah observed that many parents now rely heavily on fast foods and sugary snacks instead of preparing healthy meals for their children, describing the country’s current food environment as one that promotes overweight and obesity.
He announced that Ghana’s newly launched Nutrient Profiling System, developed by the Food and Drugs Authority and the Ministry of Health, will identify foods high in salt, sugar, fat and sweeteners for warning labels once the policy comes into force.
According to him, the proposed labels will enable consumers to identify unhealthy products easily and make informed food choices, while healthier foods will carry a positive green label to encourage better nutrition.
Mr. Danquah appealed to the public to support the implementation of the Front-of-Pack Warning Label policy, saying it will help improve the country’s food system and reduce the growing burden of diet-related diseases.
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