“What are we doing to ourselves? We are killing ourselves gradually. In the past, you hardly found houseflies around food in the market. Today, the story is different.” — Radio commentator.
Good food is a treasure to humanity. Its aroma alone can awaken the appetite of the hungry.
The nourishment it provides sustains life and promotes health. Sometimes a single taste can feel as satisfying as eating an entire meal.
Good food is carefully preserved, prepared in clean surroundings, and safe for consumption.
Throughout history, food has built relationships, created businesses, and even brought people together in marriage.
Some people have also built their livelihoods around it.
Yet today, a troubling question confronts us: can we still find truly safe food?
In Ghana, unfortunately, good and safe food appears to be slipping out of reach for many consumers.
Reports of food contamination in different forms have surfaced over the years.
What once appeared to be isolated incidents now seems to be growing into a major public health concern.
Many years ago, a scandal shook a popular food joint in Ghana when it was alleged that a customer found a human finger in food purchased from the restaurant.
Tensions rose, doubts spread, and many people lost their appetite for eating out.
What once seemed like a mere allegation now raises deeper concerns about what might be happening in some food establishments. Who is listening? Who is watching?
There have also been disturbing claims that some traders add paracetamol to beans used for preparing waakye to make them cook faster.
Whether all such reports are verified or not, the mere possibility raises serious concerns about the lengths some individuals may go to in order to speed up food preparation.
In another worrying development, some fried plantain traders reportedly protested when questioned about the alleged use of plastic materials as fuel for frying plantain—a practice believed to release toxic substances into food.
These stories may sound unbelievable, but they point to a deeper and more worrying problem.
Food safety can no longer be taken lightly in our society.
Many food vendors operate without proper certification or training in food hygiene.
In some places, anyone who believes they can cook simply finds a location and begins selling food, with little attention to regulatory requirements or health standards.
Ironically, some consumers even believe that food prepared in dirty environments tastes better.
Others argue that buying food outside the home is more convenient and sometimes cheaper than cooking.
But convenience should never come at the expense of health.
I once had a personal experience that illustrates the risk. One day, I bought my favourite ‘gobe’ (beans and gari).
To my shock, while eating I discovered an earring in the food. Some may say it was simply an accident, but imagine if it had been swallowed.
The consequences could have been serious. Food is an essential commodity. We simply cannot live without it.
That is precisely why it becomes even more dangerous when the systems meant to ensure its safety fail.
Food risks
Research also confirms the seriousness of the situation.
Botha N. N. et al. (2023) conducted a scoping review on public health concerns related to food contamination in Ghana.
The study revealed that research conducted in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central, and Eastern Regions accounts for more than 50 percent of all food contamination studies in the country.
The review also identified several critical gaps.
In many cases, regulators failed to enforce existing food safety regulations.
Monitoring and supervision were inadequate, while some managers failed to provide the infrastructure and facilities necessary for safe food preparation.
Some commonly consumed foods including salads, vegetables, sliced mango, meat pie, and snail kebab were identified as posing significant public health risks when prepared or handled under unsafe conditions.
The consequences of unsafe food are already being felt in many places, including schools.
In recent years, several incidents of food poisoning have been reported in educational institutions.
In some cases, these incidents have forced schools to temporarily close, while worried parents have withdrawn their children.
For instance, in 2023, Joy News reported that 23 students of Abutia Senior High School suffered suspected food poisoning after eating a rice meal on campus.
In another incident, more than 30 students of Ajumako Afransi Technical and Vocational Institute in the Central Region were hospitalized after allegedly consuming contaminated food. According to Channel One News, the students complained of stomach upset after eating rice and beans, popularly known as waakye.
Unsafe food has also led to legal consequences.
A court ruling ordered Mawarko Fast Food Limited to pay more than one million Ghana cedis in damages to three customers who suffered severe food poisoning after eating at one of its outlets. The judgment served as a strong reminder that food safety is not merely a matter of convenience but a legal and public health obligation.
Health consequences
Globally, the situation is even more alarming.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 600 million people fall ill every year after eating contaminated food, while about 420,000 people die from foodborne diseases.
The African region records the highest number of cases and deaths.
In Ghana, foodborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, and viral hepatitis continue to place a heavy burden on the health system.
Experts estimate that more than 200 diseases can be transmitted through contaminated food.
These illnesses may be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or harmful chemicals.
Contamination can occur at any stage of the food chain, from production and processing to transportation, storage, and preparation.
Polluted water, contaminated soil, unsafe storage conditions, and poor food handling practices can all contribute to the problem.
To address these challenges, the World Health Organization promotes the Five Keys to Safer Food: keeping food clean, separating raw and cooked foods, cooking thoroughly, storing food at safe temperatures, and using safe water and raw materials.
These guidelines may appear simple, but their consistent application can prevent many foodborne illnesses.
Government agencies in Ghana have also taken steps to promote food safety through inspections, regulations, and public health campaigns.
Food safety education is essential for both vendors and consumers.
Vendors need training on proper hygiene practices, including regular hand washing, safe cooking temperatures, and proper food storage.
The health implications of consuming unsafe food can be severe. Foodborne diseases may cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and dehydration.
In some cases, these illnesses can become life-threatening, especially for children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
Consumers must therefore demand better standards and remain vigilant about what they eat.
After all, food should nourish us not endanger our lives.
The question therefore remains: in our markets, homes, and schools today, can we still confidently say the food we eat is safe? Or must we now ask, with growing concern: Good food—who can find it?
By HENRY ATTA NYAME and MARTHA ADJOA KUMAH, Accra
Henry Atta Nyame (Institutional Assessment Practitioner)
Martha Adjoa Kumah (MBA in Total Quality Management)
