Ghana Calls for Ban on Non-Food-Grade Plastic Wraps Amid Health Risks

Strategic Insights -

Speaking at the World Food Safety Day event in Accra, Professor Esther Sakyi-Dawson, Associate Professor of Food Science, University of Ghana, emphasized the need for a ban on non-food-grade plastic wraps used for hot and oily meals, citing serious health risks. She revealed that over 60 percent of street food vendors in Ghana use plastics not designed for food contact, which leach harmful chemicals into meals. The misuse and degradation of plastics have also introduced microplastics into food, posing a hidden threat to food safety.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 60 percent of street food vendors in Ghana use plastics not designed for food contact, which leach harmful chemicals such as Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates into meals.
  • The misuse and degradation of plastics have introduced microplastics into food, posing a hidden threat to food safety in Ghana.
  • Food safety is a shared societal commitment with far-reaching consequences for health, trade, agriculture, and development, according to Dr Delese Darko, Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority.
  • Madam Aurore Risiga, Country Director of the World Food Programme, emphasized the preventive approach to food safety rather than reactive measures, urging a focus on science-based policies.
  • The use of non-food-grade plastic wraps poses serious health risks, including hormonal disruptions and long-term diseases.
  • Dr Fiona Braka, WHO representative to Ghana, called for science-based policies to ensure food safety and improve data collection and sharing to help support regular review of scientific advice.

Statistics:

  • Over 626,000 cases of food poisoning are reported in Ghana each year, resulting in approximately 298,100 hospitalisations annually and over 90,000 deaths.
  • Foodborne illnesses contribute to about 14 percent of all hospitalisations in Ghana, incurring losses exceeding US$70 million annually.
  • Globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 600 million people suffer from foodborne illnesses and more than 400,000 deaths occur in a year.
  • In Africa, 91 million people suffer from foodborne diseases annually, accounting for a third of global deaths, with 40 percent occurring in children below five.

Sources:

  • 03 July 2025 (Ghana News Agency)
  • World Food Programme
  • Food and Drugs Authority (Ghana)
  • Environmental Health Management and Sanitation Units (EHS) of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
  • World Health Organisation (WHO)
  • Ghana News Agency
  • University of Ghana (specifically Associate Professor of Food Science, Professor Esther Sakyi-Dawson)