Crisis of nutrition: 5 markets in Accra have a food quality "very bad"

Health News Thursday, May 2, 2019

Source: Myjoyonline.com

2019-05-02

According to a study conducted by Dr. Mavis Owureku-Asare, a food safety consultant, foods sold in large markets in Accra have been found to be of very poor nutritional quality.

Mr. Owureku-Asare mentioned tomatoes, oranges, pineapples, garden eyes, coconut leaves (Kontomire), as well as proteins such as shrimp and fish powder sold at Agbogbloshie markets, Dome, Kaneshie, Makola and Okaishie.

She told Myjoyonline that markets have an impact on food because of the effects of handling, storage and presentation of these foods.

Taking as an example oranges, she stated that open display of fruits in the sun and on the ground had a considerable impact on vitamin C content.

Vitamin C breaks down quickly in the heat and evaporates easily from the fruit. "What's orange without vitamin C," she questioned.

Dr. Owureku-Asare, senior researcher at the Agricultural Research Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, said the anticancer drug in tomato was easily destroyed in these markets, reflecting the market conditions across the country.

Dr. Mavis Owureku-Asare also observed that pesticide residues sprayed on coconut leaves, known as "kontomire", have been found on leaves, breaking down nutrients and giving fewer vitamins to consumers.

The peanut paste is mixed with dried cbadava powder (Konkonte), while over 98% of the palm oil is adulterated with carcinogens.

And shrimp and fish powder were mixed with sawdust, she said, describing the practice as food fraud.

The food specialist explained that while the poor nutritional quality of food adulteration was widely known, the response of state institutions had little impact on the management of what is becoming a culture in Ghana's markets.

She called on the government to deploy an army of food scientists to explore markets and deal with the nutrition crisis in Ghana's markets.

The consultant wants to see similar strength and commitment to the government's efforts to combat illegal mining.

"We need a food policy," she said.