The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a strong public health warning urging Ghanaians not to accept, consume, sell or distribute food and other regulated products retrieved from floodwaters following the recent flooding that affected parts of Accra and other communities.
The Authority said it had observed disturbing incidents of unidentified individuals recovering food products and other regulated items from floodwaters after the June 29 floods, with some even indicating on social media that they intended to distribute the recovered products to the public, including students.
In a food safety alert, the FDA stressed that such products could have been contaminated by floodwater and mishandling, making them unsafe for human consumption.
“The FDA cannot vouch for the safety or quality of these products, as they may have been contaminated by floodwaters and mishandling, which could pose a serious risk to public health,” the Authority stated.
According to the FDA, floodwaters often contain harmful contaminants, including sewage, industrial waste, chemicals, fuel residues, pesticides, heavy metals and disease-causing microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and parasites. Food exposed to such contaminants may appear safe but can cause serious foodborne illnesses if consumed.
The Authority therefore advised the public to discard all food items that may have come into contact with floodwater, particularly fresh produce, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and other perishable foods.
It also cautioned traders, wholesalers, retailers and food vendors against placing flood-damaged products back on the market, warning that anyone found selling contaminated food could face regulatory sanctions under Ghana’s food safety laws.
“The public is strongly advised not to accept, consume, sell or distribute any food or regulated product recovered from floodwaters,” the FDA emphasized.
The Authority further encouraged consumers to purchase food only from trusted sources and to carefully inspect packaged products before use, especially those suspected to have been exposed to flood conditions.
Health experts warn that consuming contaminated food can lead to diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, diarrhoea, hepatitis A and other gastrointestinal infections, with children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with weakened immune systems being particularly vulnerable.
The FDA urged members of the public to report anyone involved in the sale or distribution of flood-damaged food products to the Authority’s nearest office for immediate action.
