Mr. Clifford Frimpong, Deputy Director-General in Charge of Conformity Assessment, has called for collaboration from stakeholders to protect food supply from microbial, chemical and physical hazards that may occur during all stages of food production.
Speaking at the World Food Safety Day 2025, on the theme: “Food Safety: Science in Action,” Mr Frimpong said well developed food safety systems contributed to improved public health, nutrition, enhanced access to food trade, reduction of poverty, increased food security and the protection of the environment.He said the theme perfectly captured the work of Codex – a collection of standards, guidelines and codes of practice adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Codex standards and related texts translate scientific evidence into practical tools for applying good food safety practices, whether for governments, food business operators, or consumers.
“The theme also aligns with the work we do at the Ghana Standards Authority, where science is not just a tool, but a commitment to protecting lives, enhancing trade, and building trust in our food systems,” Mr Frimpong said.
He described science as the backbone of food safety, helping to understand what makes food unsafe and how to prevent it.
“You cannot establish standards on safety without looking at science. Science has been the backbone for all the data, information that you need to set the food safety standards,” he said.
“Scientific advice underpins international food standards and guides national policies,” he said.
He said standards had become an integral component of the country’s economic, legal and social systems, defining what is safe, what is acceptable, and what must be avoided.
He said the GSA laboratories conducted microbiological and chemical tests to verify the safety of food products on the market.
“We support risk-based inspections and market surveillance to ensure compliance with food safety regulations,” he said.
The GSA also collaborate with the FDA and other relevant institutions to implement the National Food Safety Policy, which provides a coordinated framework for food safety governance in Ghana.
He urged all stakeholders to raise awareness of the available food safety guidance.
Ms Pokuaa Appiah-Kusi, Senior Scientific Officer and Deputy Codex Contact Point Manager, said Codex as an international food safety organization or a standards developing organization applied science in ensuring that any food that is traded internationally is safe.
It ensures that contaminants are in the right levels, pesticide residues are in the right levels and food is labelled adequately to inform the consumer.
She called on policy leaders and institutions to come together and invest in science in Ghana to protect consumers.
Appiah-Kusi said due to insufficient investment in science, the country was unable to provide more localized data for development of standards internationally.
“So our call is that government invests in science so that the foods that we eat, the foods that we trade, the foods that come into the country are safe for everybody,” she said.
Dr. Jolene Nyako, Research Scientist, CSIR-Food Research Institute, said it was the mandate of every person in Ghana to be an advocate for food safety.
She said while extensive work had been done on food safety, there was the need for more collaborative research that incorporated the indigenous end user, tapped into indigenous knowledge, know their needs in the various sectors.
“Consumers demand more in terms of traceability, in terms of having to know where your food comes from and how it is prepared before you eat it.”
GNA
