Accra: Professor Esther Sakyi-Dawson, an Associate Professor of Food Science at the University of Ghana, has advocated for a complete ban on the use of non-food-grade plastic wraps in packaging hot and oily meals due to significant health risks to consumers. She made this call during the World Food Safety Day event held in Accra.
According to Ghana News Agency, Professor Sakyi-Dawson highlighted that over 60 percent of street food vendors in Ghana are using plastics that are not designed for food contact. These plastics leach harmful chemicals, such as Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, into meals, especially when exposed to heat and oil. She explained that during the manufacturing of plastics, inorganic and organic compounds are added as additives to enhance certain characteristics. Because these additives are not covalently bonded to the polymer, they can migrate from the packaging material into the food or drink.
Prof. Sakyi-Dawson warned that exposure to these chemicals is associated with hormonal disruptions and other long-term diseases. She also noted that the misuse, breakdown, and degradation of plastics have introduced microplastics into food, posing a hidden threat to food safety. Prof. Sakyi-Dawson called for urgent policy action to address this issue.
Dr. Delese Darko, Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority, emphasized that food safety is not merely a technical issue but a shared societal commitment with extensive implications for health, trade, agriculture, and development. Meanwhile, Madam Aurore Risiga, Country Director of the World Food Programme, described unsafe food as a 'silent danger,' highlighting its role in illness, stunted growth, and increased vulnerability. She stressed the importance of a preventive approach to food safety rather than reactive measures.
In 2024, data from the Environmental Health Management and Sanitation Units (EHS) of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development revealed that Ghana reports over 626,000 cases of food poisoning each year. This results in approximately 298,100 hospitalizations annually and over 90,000 deaths, contributing to about 14 percent of all hospitalizations. Consequently, the government incurs losses exceeding US$70 million annually to mitigate the food-borne disease burden.
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 600 million people suffer from foodborne illnesses, resulting in more than 400,000 deaths each year. Africa accounts for a third of global deaths from foodborne diseases, with 91 million people suffering annually and 40 percent of deaths occurring in children under five. In low- and middle-income countries, the economic cost of foodborne illnesses is estimated to exceed $100 billion per year.
Dr. Fiona Braka, WHO representative to Ghana, highlighted that extreme weather events, higher temperatures, and uncertain rainfall are expected to impact food safety and increase the risk of existing and emerging foodborne diseases. She urged the government to champion science-based policies to ensure food safety and improve data collection and sharing to support the regular review of scientific advice. Dr. Braka also encouraged the public to store food properly by separating raw and cooked items, keeping food at safe temperatures, and using safe water and raw materials.
