The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is calling for new legislation to regulate the operations of corn mills and other food milling outlets across Ghana, citing serious food safety concerns and the risk of contamination .
The Authority maintains that stronger regulatory measures and improved hygiene practices are urgently needed to ensure that milling activities meet acceptable food safety standards.
A ‘ticking health time bomb’
The FDA’s call follows a series of undercover investigations that uncovered widespread and dangerous practices at food milling centres. The Western Regional Directorate of the FDA described these facilities as “a ticking health time bomb” after finding filthy equipment, rodent-friendly environments, and evidence of food adulteration .
Corn, vegetables, and especially fufu—a cherished staple—are at high risk of contamination due to poor handling of food substances, unhygienic equipment, and unsanitary facilities .
“We are sitting on a public health catastrophe,” the FDA revealed during an emergency sensitisation workshop for mill operators in the Shama District .
Food fraud and contamination
The FDA has also exposed a sinister trade: food fraud. Western Regional Director of the FDA, John Laryea Odai-Tettey, disclosed that some individuals deliberately add non-food substances, colouring agents, and other dangerous materials to boost volume or improve appearance .
“Many of these additives are not food-grade. They are silent killers,” Mr Odai-Tettey warned .
Personal hygiene, the FDA noted, is virtually non-existent in many facilities. “Operators lack basic knowledge of the cleanliness of their premises, their bodies, or their machines,” he added .
Call for modernisation
The Head of Food Industrial Support Services at the FDA, Ebenezer Kofi Essel, has urged Ghana to reconsider the continued use of traditional commercial milling systems, which he believes pose significant risks to food safety .
According to him, there is a need to gradually phase out traditional mills and adopt safer, more modern milling technologies to minimise contamination risks during food processing .
FDA officials have also highlighted concerns about old, rusty milling machines that can introduce heavy metals into food. Samuel Kwakye, Eastern Regional Head of the FDA, noted that corn milling machines are supposed to be made with stainless steel to prevent rusting. He observed that most machines are made from metals and painted, with the paint containing chemicals that could contaminate food .
MMDAs urged to intensify inspections
Mr Essel is also urging Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to intensify inspections of milling outlets within their jurisdictions. He said authorities must pay particular attention to hygiene practices and ensure that operators comply with required food safety standards .
The FDA believes closer collaboration among regulators, local authorities and milling operators will be essential to strengthening food safety and protecting consumers across the country .
Local initiatives
Meanwhile, the Madina La Nkwantanang Municipal Assembly’s Sanitation Department has intensified inspections of milling outlets within the Madina Market as part of efforts to promote food safety and improve hygiene .
Sanitation officers assessed various aspects of the milling operations, including the quality and source of water used for milling, as well as the general sanitary conditions of the facilities .
The Head of the Madina La Nkwantanang Municipal Assembly Sanitation Department, Daniel Tetteh, said the Assembly has taken the lead in ensuring that millers across the municipality obtain the necessary health certification. He said the certification forms part of measures to ensure that milling operators maintain proper hygiene standards and protect consumers from potential health risks .
Public health imperative
Food safety concerns at milling centres are not new. A previous FDA official warned that worn or poorly maintained milling equipment can introduce heavy metals into food over time, contaminating products such as corn dough and tom brown . Research has confirmed that cleaning materials, old locally-made grinding plates, petroleum-based lubricants, and unwashed bare hands used for lubrication have been found to be highly contaminated above acceptable Ghanaian and international standards .
The FDA has promised a crackdown, working with the Public Health Directorates of local assemblies to launch strict enforcement across all districts. “There will be no compromise. Together with the assemblies we will monitor compliance closely and anyone found violating the law will be dealt with accordingly,” Mr Odai-Tettey emphasised .
