Ho, Sept. 29, GNA - Food processing companies in Ghana have largely overlooked self inspection, documentation and record keeping. Mr Roderick Daddey-Adjei, Zonal Officer of the Volta and Eastern Zone of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) made the observation at a three-day workshop for 35 owners and supervisors of food manufacturing companies drawn from the Volta and Eastern Regions in Ho on Monday. He said "it is inappropriate to undergo the formal process of production or manufacturing without records to prove legitimacy and compliance to standards".

Mr Daddey-Adjei said such omissions put consumers at risk. He said while assisting to build the capacity of food manufacturers, the FDB would also ensure that the health of the consuming public was safeguarded and appealed to those in the food processing industry to live up to set standards "or go out". Mr. Eric Owusu, Head of Inspections, Eastern/Volta Zonal Office of FDB said only few packaged food products were registered with the FDB as required by law.

He said three food processing companies were suspended in the Zone because of food safety risks. Mr. Owusu said most manufacturers have little or no working knowledge of the FDB law and were not aware of basic documentation requirements. He said quality assurance systems were either non existent or poorly managed and personnel hygiene levels in most facilities were also not encouraging.

Mr Owusu said most producers did not understand the production processes they were using and have no controls to ensure the safety and quality of their products. The participants will be taken through topics such as food and drugs law, personal hygiene, technical requirement for the establishment of manufacturing industry, maintenance schedule and effective water treatment systems.