Consequently, she has called for strengthened regulation of food labelling and packaging processes, to protect consumers and safeguard public health.

Delivering the keynote address at a forum to mark World Food Safety Day (WFSD) in Accra yesterday, Prof. Sakyi-Dawson said there was growing evidence suggesting that ingesting chemicals and microplas­tics leached from plastics was linked to chronic illnesses that affect the endocrine, hormonal, and immune systems.

“It is subtle and occurs over the long term. It’s not immediate, so we don’t see it and that’s where the problem is. They are chronic. If you keep using these materials over the years, they can cause health prob­lems,” she cautioned.

Observed in June each year, WFSD aims to raise awareness and promote concrete actions to pre­vent, detect, and manage foodborne risks, in support of human health, safe trade, responsible agriculture, and sustainable development.

This year’s theme, “Food Safety: Science in Action”, highlights the vital role of science in ensuring the safety of the food we eat.

Organised by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the public forum brought together stakehold­ers from the food industry, regula­tory agencies, academia, and civil society to address growing concerns about food safety in Ghana.

Prof. Sakyi-Dawson, citing sev­eral local scientific studies, pointed to direct and indirect sources of food contamination in the country including the use of harmful dyes, colour and poor packaging practices which increase the risk of exposure to harmful chemicals.

“A 2019–2020 study, for instance, assessed chemical migration from packaging material into packaged water and found that, among the three types of packaged water in Ghana (sachet, bottled, and jar), sa­chet water showed higher migration of compounds due to the nature of its packaging material,” she said.

“Some of these compounds were attributed to the inks used to directly print label information on sachet packaging. It is high time the regulator engaged manufactur­ers on how to prohibit direct print­ing of labels on plastic materials or introducing detachable labels to reduce chemical transfer into food and drinks,” Prof. Sakyi-Dawson urged.

The Associate Professor encouraged Ghanaians to take personal responsibility for their food choices to reduce exposure to health risks.

“The onus is on you as a con­sumer to seek information, make informed decisions, and use it properly. Don’t expect someone else to think about food safety for you.

You are the one eating the food. Take your own life into your hands,” she advised.

In a speech read on her behalf, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Fiona Braka, expressed concern over the alarming rates of food­borne illnesses, particularly in Af­rica, where over 90 million people suffer such conditions annually.

The Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, Dr Delese Darko, reaffirmed the Authority’s com­mitment to upholding the highest standards in promoting food safety across the country.

“We will continue to build consumer awareness because food safety begins not only at the point of production but also at the point of choice. Informed consumers make safer decisions and, in turn, demand higher standards thereby shaping a culture of safety from the bottom up,” she stated.