ACCRA – Roderick Daddey Adjei, Deputy Chief Executive of the Food Division at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has warned that recent nationwide studies have revealed dangerous levels of heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium in everyday foods consumed across Ghana.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (29 September), Adjei described the findings as “very, very concerning,” stressing that in some cases, contamination levels were 50 to 100 times above safe limits.
“We have reached a point where we have not been careful. We have thrown caution to the wind, and some of these things have found their way into the food chain. But let’s not despair. Rather, let us see what we can do by stopping these activities that are inimical to nation building,” he said.
The FDA study, conducted with support from UNICEF, covered all 16 regions and tested commonly consumed foods such as cereal mixes (including Tom Brown), vegetables, rice, and cosmetics. Adjei noted that while some branded products are monitored and recalled when necessary, unbranded foods sold in open markets pose the greatest risk because their origins and processing methods cannot be traced.
He explained that contamination often stems from unsafe agricultural practices, polluted irrigation water linked to illegal mining, and hazardous methods used in local food processing including the use of lead from car batteries in large-scale cooking.
The FDA has begun engaging market women, importers, and small-scale producers in education campaigns. According to Adjei, regulation cannot rely on bans or enforcement alone but must involve public awareness:
“When people know that what they are doing has consequences on their health, they will change. Education is a better tool than fear. Food safety is everybody’s business.”
He added that branded infant foods and cosmetics found with high contamination have been recalled, but stressed that the larger challenge is systemic: “You cannot simply avoid one brand and assume you are safe. The problem is broader, and it requires us as a country to change our practices.”
Asked whether the FDA would release a list of contaminated products or markets, Adjei said the contamination was widespread and not limited to specific brands or regions.
“It’s all over,” he said. “We are exposed, and we need to take pragmatic decisions that will help to solve the problem.”
Source: asaaseradio.com
