The Queen Mother of orange sellers at the Bohye International Market, Regina Aku Addo, has called on the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to intensify efforts to stop the use of unapproved chemicals to artificially ripen fruits sold to consumers.
Her comments come amid growing concerns over the safety of fruits such as bananas and mangoes that are allegedly being treated with chemicals to speed up the ripening process.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Madam Addo said both traders and consumers contribute to the practice, explaining that some buyers prefer fruits that are already ripe when they purchase them.
“The buyers are partly responsible for this because when they come, they want ripe ones. So the traders also add the chemicals,” she stated.
She, however, advised consumers to consider buying unripe fruits and allowing them to ripen naturally at home.
“I will advise Ghanaians that it is better to buy unripe fruits, especially, and take them home so that they take time to ripen,” she urged.
Madam Addo also appealed to the FDA to treat the issue with the same seriousness it has shown in tackling other forms of food adulteration.
She cited the Authority’s efforts to curb the adulteration of palm oil as an example of how sustained monitoring and enforcement could help address unsafe practices.
The Queen Mother of the entire market, Beatrice Sowah, said market leaders had also begun putting measures in place to identify and prevent the use of unapproved chemicals on fruits.
“When the FDA worked effectively to curb the adulteration of palm oil, it was successful to a point. So we would plead with them to take this issue about the fruits too seriously because it is completely collapsing our business,” she said.
According to Madam Sowah, the growing concerns over chemically ripened fruits are not only a public health issue but are also affecting the livelihoods of legitimate fruit traders.
She disclosed that the traders intend to formally present a document to the Police to notify them of the measures being taken and seek their support in dealing with persons who may be involved in the practice.
She called for closer collaboration among traders, the FDA, the Police and other relevant authorities to protect consumers while preserving the livelihoods of genuine traders.
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