Omanghana
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued an urgent public health advisory cautioning Ghanaians against accepting, purchasing, consuming, or selling food items that have been recovered from floodwaters.
The warning follows the flooding that affected parts of Accra in June 2026, after videos and images circulated on social media showing individuals retrieving waterlogged food products and offering them for sale.
FDA Raises Serious Health Concerns
According to the FDA, food that has come into contact with floodwaters may pose significant health risks because floodwater is often contaminated with sewage, chemicals, and other hazardous substances.
The Authority warned that consuming such products could expose individuals to foodborne illnesses and infections, including cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery.
Packaging May Not Offer Protection
The FDA also emphasized that food products with packaging that appears undamaged should not be considered safe.
It explained that harmful contaminants can penetrate packaging materials during flooding, making the contents unsuitable for human consumption even when there are no visible signs of damage.
Public Urged to Avoid Flood-Exposed Food
As part of the advisory, the FDA urged the public not to purchase, consume, distribute, or sell any food items suspected to have been exposed to floodwaters.
Consumers are encouraged to exercise caution when buying food products and to report any suspected sale of flood-damaged food to the appropriate authorities.
Commitment to Public Safety
The FDA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public health and called on food vendors, retailers, distributors, and the general public to cooperate by ensuring that food exposed to flood conditions is safely disposed of rather than returned to the market.
The Authority stressed that preventing contaminated food from reaching consumers is essential to reducing the risk of disease outbreaks in the aftermath of flooding.
Source: Omanghana
