Compounded dilema of healthy and safe foods on our plates; any end in sight

For years, we have been advised to consume Ghanaian foods and support local agriculture. Doctors and health professionals advocate for unprocessed, plant-based foods in our diets to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, recent media reports have raised concerns about the safety of some Ghanaian farm foods due to chemical contamination. Illegal mining, known as "galamsey," and improper waste disposal have polluted the soil, compromising the quality of the food grown in those areas.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has been actively investigating these issues. In the past, they issued a statement regarding the use of the chemical Ethemax in plantain ripening at the Madina market in Accra. They are collaborating with the Environmental Health Unit of the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly to investigate the matter.

Ethemax, containing Ethephon as its active ingredient, is a plant growth regulator with a "harmful" hazard warning. The FDA is taking swift regulatory enforcement actions to identify and sanction individuals involved in the off-label distribution of such chemicals.

The FDA is also monitoring food supply chains through routine market sampling, laboratory testing, and nationwide surveillance to prevent non-permitted chemicals from entering the food chain. They assure consumers that they are continuously working to ensure consumer health and safety. While the FDA has not addressed the issue of chemical poisoning in farm-grown foods from galamsey areas, researchers have focused on this topic.

To minimize health risks, it is advised to wash farm-grown foods thoroughly, cook them properly, and avoid consuming them raw.