Jacob Amoako Mensah, Head of Operations, Imports and Exports Department of Food and Drugs Authority has admitted that there has been difficulty in attaining total control of food sanity in the country due to some food products evading the rigorous procedures at the ports and coming through what he termed as unapproved routes.

“A lot of products come through these unapproved routes for example, Aflao, Elubo, etc,” he revealed.

The FDA official who was speaking as a panellist on Healthy Trading and Lifestyle in the Festive Season on Eye on Port, also said another challenge his outfit encounters is that some goods that turn out to be sold on the market are being declared as personal effect in order to escape inspection procedures at the port.

“Per international conventions, customs would tell you that personal effect are not supposed to be subjected to excessive scrutiny. But we go the extent, with collaborations with customs, to see some of these goods declared as personal effect. But again, a lot still eludes us,” he added.

2020 Agenda

He revealed that, in 2020 there would be drastic changes in how the Food and Drugs Authority operates at the port towards the goal of total sanity of food and food products that enter the country’s market.

“There are discussions to change how FDA operates at the port next year. FDA will work strictly by the law,” he stated.

He said, while the FDA is doing a lot to strengthen its control, the public should be on the lookout for goods on the market that do not bear FDA registration numbers, products that do not have expiry dates as well as products that appear to be in a deteriorating state.

Rubber rice phenomenon

On the phenomenon of “rubber rice”, that is rice transforming into plastic when cooked, which has left significant fear in the public, the FDA official, debunked any truth in such assertions.

“There is nothing like plastic rice on the market. We have varieties of rice, and they are dependent on the starch content in the rice. We have Basmati rice for example,” he educated.

He said the FDA, and its international partners work towards ensuring that such developments never materialise.

“We are not working in isolation. Currently FDA is the secretariat for what we call INFOSAN. What this network does is that, every food safety event globally is reported on the INFOSAN platform and all the regulatory institutions are made aware and the necessary steps are taken to ensure that public health and safety is not compromised.”

He said the only reason some brands of rice will behave differently is dependent on the starch content of that brand of rice.

GSA warns

The Head of Imports Inspection Department of Ghana Standards Authority, Stephen Adu urged all importers to accompany their goods with certificate of analysis or conformity from an accredited institution to make it easier to ascertain the genuineness of products, else their goods would be subjected to confiscation.

“Where the goods are not fit for purpose, then it is either detained, and you’re asked to re-export or you forfeit it to the state for destruction,” he said.

He also advised the Ghanaian consuming public to verify the claims some traders make pertaining to the quality of their products, with the Standards Authority.

“If they are making all those claims, just ask for which institution certified those products. Perhaps verify independently what they are making or putting out there,” he advised.

Ban on firecrackers

On the inadequate implementation of the ban on firecrackers, he stated that the Ghana Standards Authority although seized all products of that nature that come in through Ghana’s ports, he said some way these banned substances find their way into the local market.

“If it is referred to us, we detain it. We do not work on it because it is a prohibited item. But as to why they find themselves on the market, that is another conversation perhaps we could have,” he said.

He advised the Ghanaian to look out for products that meet the right standards by verifying from the Ghana Standards Authority’s website.

Be responsible

DCOP. Dr. Helen Tettey, Consultant Anaesthesiologist and Head of Clinical Service of the International Maritime Hospital, on the same program encouraged the consumers to be responsible and take charge of their own safety during this festive season.

“There is more to it than we see. So onus lies on you as well as the legislature to be careful in your selection as to what you choose to buy. We need to be careful what we consume,” she warned.

Increased food poisoning

The health expert admitted to the fact that there is inadequate control of the goods that come through the country’s gateways, but the far riskier challenge is the production of foods locally.

She revealed that December is the month that records the highest statistics of food poisoning globally, thus people should be more careful their choices for what they consume during this festive period.

DCOP. Dr. Helen also urged the public should be more particular about how food is handled and stored before they are consumed in order to stay healthy during the yuletide.

“If you find anything suspicious, even though you might have spent money buying it, don’t use it. Also, you need to look at the environment from which we buy our meals from as well,” she continued.

FDA, GSA should do more

The Head of Clinical Service of the International Maritime Hospital admonished the Food and Drugs Authority, and the Ghana Standards Authority, to be up and doing to secure Ghana’s trading space from harmful foods and substandard products.

“Our job gets difficult during this period because sometimes you do not know entirely what you are dealing with. So, the FDA and GSA should help us a bit more.”