Food Fraud on the Rise in Ghana Raises Public Health Concerns – Prof. Teye Warns.
Food fraud is increasing at an alarming rate in Ghana, posing serious risks to public health and national food security. This concern was raised by a leading expert in Agri-Food Integrity Engineering at the University of Cape Coast, Rev. Engr. Prof. Ernest Teye.
Speaking during his inaugural lecture, Prof. Teye cautioned that deliberate adulteration of food products is becoming widespread, calling for urgent and decisive interventions to safeguard consumers from potential health hazards.
Growing Cases of Food Adulteration
According to him, several food items on the market are being tampered with to increase profit margins at the expense of consumer safety. He cited palm oil as a major example, noting that some producers mix it with banned industrial dyes such as Sudan I–V to enhance its colour and falsely present lower-quality products as premium.
He also raised concerns about the honey industry, explaining that despite its high economic potential estimated at about $1.5 billion annually, it continues to suffer major losses due to adulteration with cheaper substitutes like sugar syrups.
Call for Stronger Regulation and Public Awareness
Prof. Teye urged consumers to be more cautious and to purchase food products that have been certified by the Food and Drugs Authority. He emphasised that safe food consumption plays a crucial role in disease prevention and significantly reduces healthcare costs.
He further warned that unchecked food fraud not only threatens public health but also undermines trust in the food supply chain.
Innovation Against Food Fraud
As part of efforts to address the challenge, Prof. Teye revealed that he has developed a portable spectroscopy and smartphone-enabled technology designed to detect food adulteration and verify food authenticity.
He described this innovation, referred to as the “Food Oracle,” as both a technological and climate resilience solution that promotes precision in agricultural practices while reducing environmental degradation caused by excessive or improper fertilizer use.
Concerns Over Agricultural Inputs
The professor also expressed worry about the circulation of fertilizers of unknown origin in the market, stressing that fertilizers should be regulated and sold based on verified nutrient composition using scientific testing methods.
He argued that seeds and fertilizers should not be freely accessible without oversight, suggesting that their control by a statutory body is essential to protect the integrity of the food system.
Promoting Food Safety Culture
Prof. Teye called for improved hygiene practices in markets and encouraged institutions to monitor food sources more closely. He also proposed the establishment of a Food Authenticity Standard Club at UCC to help ensure that food sold on and around campus meets safety standards.
Additionally, he advocated for increased patronage of locally produced rice, describing it as healthier and more nutritious than imported alternatives, while warning that declining local demand threatens the survival of Ghana’s rice industry.
He concluded with a strong cautionary message: “If you buy cheap food, you will buy expensive medicine.”
The inaugural lecture was chaired by the Acting Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto.