Food safety in the horticultural sector in Ghana: challenges, risk factors and interventions
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Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontier in Sustainable Food Systems
Abstract
The fruit and vegetable industry remains one of Ghana’s most promising agricultural
sectors mainly because of heightened awareness of the health benefits associated
with their consumption. However, food safety is of ultimate concern due to the
association of foodborne hazards resulting in escalation of foodborne illness. This
report is a review of key foodborne hazards in Ghana’s horticultural value chain. The
study identified the risk factors and hazards that contaminate fruits and vegetables
in addition to existing methods for mitigating health risks and reducing pathogen
levels in the produce. The study revealed that enteric pathogens such as Escherichia
coli and Salmonella spp. mainly contaminate produce through fresh manure and
contaminated irrigation water used during the production of vegetables. Chemical
hazards identified included pesticides (organochlorine pesticides) and heavy
metals such as cadmium, arsenic, chromium, and lead. Physical hazards identified
included twigs, roots, sand, and stones. Washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly
with potable water and sanitizing with vinegar and Chlorine solutions were among
the common practices stakeholders adopted to reduce microbial levels. Soil
remediation was also reported as a common approach for reducing chemical
contaminants in agricultural fields. The study, therefore, recommends establishing
a traceability system as well as appropriate measures and standards for hygienic
practices for fresh fruits and vegetables produced and sold on the local market
in Ghana. Value chain actors should be sensitized regularly on measures and
interventions that can be employed to significantly reduce the levels of foodborne
hazards and associated risks.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
food hazards, food safety & quality, fruits and vegetables, foodborne illness
Citation
Essilfie GL, Lamptey S, Baddoo RNN, Amenorpe G, Hevi W, Owusu M and Atupra F (2023) Food safety in the horticultural sector in Ghana: challenges, risk factors and interventions. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 7:1173677. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2023.1173677