Mr. Simon Agongo Azure an MPhil Nutrition student stated that some people engage in food adulteration to basically increase the volume of food items they sell and for economic gains.
Food adulteration is any food that does not meet a set standard which may be an international standard. An adulterated food can also be one which has its main ingredient removed.
Speaking on the Radio Univers’ Good Health show Mr. Kwame Torku Dzensi, an MPhil Food Science student at the University of Ghana also added that food adulteration is an illegal act in Ghana. He also added that the consumers should look out for the following factors when purchasing food items: source of the food, who or where the food was produced and even the packaging of the food.
Mr. Simon Agongo Azure who also spoke on the Good Health show stated the brown sugar for instance can be adulterated with saw dust. He advised the public to report people who engage in food adulteration to law enforcement agencies such as the Food and Drugs Authority or sanitary inspectors who will readily deal with such perpetrators.
Some common adulterated foods include apples which can be adulterated with wax to give it a glossy look. This he said when eaten can lead to ulcers. He also added that some people even add washing powder to ice creams. He further added that salt can be adulterated with chalk.
Mr. Agongo Azure also said that adulterated foods can be detected. One way in which adulterated salt can be detected is by taking a sample of the salt and stirring it in water. The chalk and other impurities will settle and the water suspending after a few minutes.
“…take a sample of ice cream and drop lime juice. Once you drop lime juice, you will see bubbles surfacing on the water and that is an indicator that they have added washing with washing powder to the ice cream�?
He also added that some people spray calcium carbide on bananas for them to ripen quickly. Also, some people adulterate powdered pepper with dried kola nuts and groundnut paste with roasted corn flour. Other foods which can be adulterated include: powdered tomatoes, melon seeds (agushie), canned milk, honey, bread which some people adulterated with mashed potatoes or Plaster of Paris(PoP), some edible cooking oils, sausages and jam.
Consuming adulterated foods can lead to several health complications such as vomiting, triggering of allergies, stomach disorders, nutritional imbalances, blindness, cancers and even heart failure.
Mr. Dzesi advised consumers to be vigilant of foods they purchase since they could be very injurious to their health. He further urged the public to practice personal hygiene such hand washing and washing of vegetables with warm water before using vegetables for food to prevent food poisoning.
By: Jennifer Esi Aniwa/ Radio Univers 105.7 MHz
Share this:
Related
Gandhi Statue To Be Relocated- Gov’t
Ashampoo Photo Commander 14 Noon Ball 64/32 Bit update free download torrent
Share this:
Related
You Might Also Like
Leave a Comment
Univers Staff
Review Of University Of Ghana Grading System Will Be In Students Interest-Ms. Seade
We Will Make The University Of Ghana A ‘Go To University’- Legon VC
University of Ghana Shuttle Fares To Increase By 43 Percent Next Month
Was This Post Helpful: PREVIOUS POSTNEXT POST – on November 04, 2016– on November 03, 2016– on November 01, 2016
