Ghana has launched a National Strategic Plan for Heavy Metal Reduction in Food as part of efforts to strengthen food safety and reduce public exposure to harmful contaminants.
The 2026–2030 plan is expected to guide national efforts to identify, monitor and control heavy metals in food products while improving public awareness of the potential health risks associated with contamination.
The initiative follows findings from nationwide surveillance conducted by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in collaboration with UNICEF. The assessment covered all 16 administrative regions and examined selected food and cosmetic products for lead, cadmium and mercury.
The findings raised concerns over contamination in some commonly used products. Among the foods assessed were turmeric and cereal mixes.
According to the FDA’s national report, 42.09 per cent of turmeric samples failed the lead safety threshold, while cereal mixes recorded a 29 per cent failure rate for cadmium. The report also identified significant regional differences in the levels of contamination detected in the products tested.
The surveillance also found that contamination was particularly associated with some unbranded and locally sourced products, with a number of failures linked to products obtained from open markets and retail outlets.
The FDA has indicated that the new national plan will involve stronger surveillance, public education and cooperation among institutions responsible for food safety.
Speaking at the launch of the plan in Accra, Deputy Chief Executive for the FDA’s Food Division, Roderick Kwabena Daddy-Adjei, said the authority had detected lead and cadmium in some food products and cosmetics.
He explained that the FDA would work with other institutions to identify sources of contamination and develop measures to control them. The authority also plans to intensify testing of food products and cooking utensils for heavy metals.
As part of the expanded monitoring programme, the FDA is expected to make use of a handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) machine donated by UNICEF to support field testing.
Heavy metals such as lead and cadmium can pose health risks when people are exposed to excessive levels over time. The FDA has therefore emphasised the importance of identifying contamination early and preventing affected products from reaching consumers.
The national plan is also expected to strengthen public education, particularly among consumers who purchase food products from informal markets and other outlets where regulatory monitoring may be more challenging.
The findings from the surveillance have already highlighted the need for stronger controls across the food supply chain, from production and processing to distribution and retail.
The FDA and its partners have recommended measures including increased market surveillance, public education and the removal of contaminated products from circulation where necessary.
The launch of the 2026–2030 strategy therefore represents a broader effort to coordinate Ghana’s response to heavy-metal contamination and improve the safety of food available to the public.
Authorities are expected to work with relevant government agencies, industry stakeholders and development partners to implement the plan and strengthen Ghana’s food safety systems over the coming years.
Source: Thepressradio.com
