Producing unsafe food is unwise - Ahwoi

Daily Guide 21/10/10
By Emmanuel Kubi
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Kwesi Ahwoi says it would be unwise to produce large quantities of food that are unsafe for public consumption.
He said consuming unsafe food could affect nutritional status and increase diseases.
Speaking at a Food Safety forum on Wednesday as part of activities to mark the 30th World Food Day in Accra, he said concerns over food safety and quality were increasing worldwide, stressing that they were priority areas for governments, food producers, processors, industrialists, traders and consumers.

The programme was organised by the World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Food and Drugs Board (FDB).
World Food day is observed on October 16 and this year's event was on the theme, “United against Hunger.”
Mr Ahwoi said the Ministry's policy focuses on food security and safety, competition and integration into markets both domestic and international.
The minister expressed concern about the misuse of chemicals, environmental contaminations, use of unauthorized food additives and poor sanitation at processing sites, which according to him, causes food related diseases such as salmonella in poultry products and aflatoxin in grains among others.
The need for national cohesion and a coordinated effort from all stakeholders was crucial to ensure food safety, he added.
Helena Semedo, FAO Regional Representative for Africa, in a speech read on her behalf, said about one billion people still face chronic hunger, noting that food security remains one of the most urgent worldwide concerns
She noted that the consumption of unsafe food in Ghana would continue to have a huge impact on the health of the population, explaining that it was estimated that one out of 40 Ghanaians suffers each year from serious food borne diseases.

The total number of outpatient cases of food-related diseases in Ghana is about 420,000 per year, with an annual death rate estimated at 65,000 and a total cost of $69 million.
Other figures, she noted, give a total of 84,000 deaths per year, with 25 per cent being children under-five.
The Chief Executive Officer of FDB, Dr. Steven Opuni said food safety was a collective responsibility and food producers at all levels are responsible for the production of safe food.

Consumers, he said, play an important role in food safety control, adding that consumers must be educated and motivated to make informed decisions.
He said FDB had made several interventions in this regard and was collaborating with Environmental Health Officers to enhance food safety in the markets.

The board, he added, would continue to strengthen its inter-agency collaboration with the Ghana Standards Board, Ministries of Agriculture, Local Government and Rural Development and district assemblies.
FDB would also intensify post-market surveillance activities and organize hygiene training for restaurants, hotels and street vendors, among others to promote food safety.
GNA