Lets adopt modern practices, Food Crop Processors told

Mr. Joseph Damoah, Chairman of the Sunyani Cooperative Food Crop Processors Society has called for the need to seek financial assistance to educate members on modern practices in the industry.

He said a funding from a source like the BUSAC Fund would enable the Association to educate members about the dangers involved in using the old rusty milling plates in their operations.

The chairman said the rusted plate could poison processed food materials and thereby endanger the health of people.

Mr. Damoah said this at a one day sensitization workshop in Sunyani for some selected group of food crop processors and corn millers on the need to switch over from the usage of the old corn milling plate to the stainless steel manufactured corn milling machinery.

The workshop attracted over 50 food crop processors and corn millers drawn from parts of the Sunyani Municipality.

He said the Association had planned to collaborate with GRATIS, the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fashion out strategies that would ensure that stainless steel corn milling equipment were produced on a large scale for use by members in order to avoid health risks and the incidence of food poisoning.

Mr. Daniel Owusu Peprah, Sunyani Municipal Environmental Health Officer appealed to participants to promote hygienic food practices by maintaining a clean and sound environment at their workplaces.

Mr. Kwasi Owusu Boadu, Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the Ghana Standards Authority, called for more education in best manufacturing practices that conformed to international standards to check the content of cyanide in food material.

He said product testing and certification were essential for maintaining standards saying his outfit would soon establish an office in Kumasi by September 2012 to assist industries with relevant information.

Mr. Daniel Nti, Regulatory Officer, FDB, appealed to participants not only to visit the Board’s office for the issuance of a facility license certificate for their business, but must ensure they and their workers maintained good personal hygiene to avoid contamination of any food material.**