Ghana Launches Nutrition Month 2026 for Food Safety Action

Ghana has officially launched Nutrition Month 2026 under the theme "Food Safety: Our Collective Responsibility," emphasizing the need for widespread collaboration to enhance food safety standards. Experts at the CSIR-Food Research Institute (CSIR-FRI) in Accra urged government bodies, farmers, food processors, and consumers to unite in reducing food contamination and improving public health Source. Dr. Charlotte Oduro, Deputy Director of CSIR-FRI, highlighted that food safety is a shared responsibility, requiring efforts from everyone involved in the food chain.

The global impact of contaminated food is significant, with an estimated 866 million people falling ill and 1.52 million deaths annually. This also incurs about US$310 million in health-related costs and reduced productivity worldwide, according to Ebenezer Tawiah, a Quality Manager at CSIR-FRI. In Ghana, common foodborne illnesses include typhoid fever, cholera, and acute diarrhoeal infections. Challenges cited include imported foods that fail to meet safety standards due to broken cold chains and the improper use of weedicides and insecticides by some farmers Source. To address these issues, Tawiah advocates for stricter enforcement of food safety laws, continuous monitoring by government agencies, adoption of good agricultural practices, proper food processing, and safer transportation of food products.

Looking ahead, the Ghana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is advocating for Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPWL) to guide consumer choices and mitigate diet-related diseases. Joseph B. Danquah, General Secretary, expressed concern over the rising consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and processed foods among children, which could lead to non-communicable diseases later in life. Ghana's new Nutrient Profiling System will identify foods high in salt, sugar, fat, and sweeteners for these warning labels. Healthier foods will receive a positive green label, while unhealthy products will be clearly marked, making it easier for consumers to make informed choices and improve the country's food system Source.