The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is calling for legislation to regulate the operations of corn mills and other milling outlets across Ghana as part of efforts to improve food safety and reduce the risk of contamination.
The Authority says stronger regulatory measures, coupled with improved hygiene practices, are needed to ensure that milling activities meet acceptable food safety standards and protect consumers.
FDA Pushes for Safer Milling Systems
The Head of Food Industrial Support Services at the FDA, Ebenezer Kofi Essel, said Ghana must reconsider the continued use of traditional commercial milling systems, which he believes could pose potential food safety risks.
According to him, there is a need to gradually phase out traditional milling systems and promote safer, modern technologies that can minimise the risk of contamination during food processing.
Mr Essel also called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to intensify inspections of milling outlets within their jurisdictions.
He said inspections should focus particularly on hygiene practices and compliance with established food safety standards.
Madina Assembly Intensifies Inspections
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 improve hygiene and promote food safety.
Sanitation officers assessed several aspects of the milling operations, including the quality and source of water used for milling and the general sanitary conditions of the facilities.
The Head of the Assembly’s Sanitation Department, Daniel Tetteh, said the Assembly has taken the lead in ensuring that millers within the municipality obtain the necessary health certification.
He explained that the certification is intended to ensure that milling operators maintain appropriate hygiene standards and minimise potential health risks to consumers.
Millers Welcome Inspections
Heads of the milling outlets commended the sanitation officers for conducting the exercise, saying the inspections would help promote best practices and encourage operators to improve their hygiene standards.
The FDA believes that closer collaboration among regulators, local authorities and milling operators will be essential to strengthening food safety standards and protecting consumers across the country.
The proposed regulatory measures, together with regular inspections and health certification, are expected to improve hygiene across Ghana’s milling sector and reduce the risk of contamination during food processing.
