Ghana must place food safety and nutrition at the centre of efforts to increase food production, the Center for Food Analysis and Biosafety at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) has said.
In a statement issued on October 16 to mark World Food Day 2026, the centre called for stronger food-testing capacity, affordable innovations for food businesses and faster adoption of research findings in policy and practice.
The statement was signed by the centre’s lead, Professor Herman E. Lutterodt, of KNUST’s Department of Food Science and Technology.
“Our food-security conversation must also recognize that food that is unsafe cannot deliver food security. Similarly, sufficient calories alone do not guarantee good nutrition,” the centre said.
It said increasing agricultural production was important, but food systems also needed to ensure that produce reached consumers safely, retained its nutritional value and was protected from avoidable losses.
The centre said innovation did not always require expensive or sophisticated technology. Practical improvements could include better drying and storage of cereals and nuts, improved processing hygiene, safer fish preservation, affordable testing methods and better packaging.
It also called for stronger surveillance, traceability and the use of data to identify problems before food reached consumers.
“Food analysis should therefore not simply be viewed as a test performed when something goes wrong. It should increasingly become part of a preventive system that supports farmers, processors, regulators, public-health authorities and consumers to make better decisions,” it said.
The statement identified microbial contamination, mycotoxins, pesticide residues and heavy metals among the risks that required reliable scientific evidence to manage effectively.
It outlined four priorities for Ghana: strengthening the generation and use of food-safety data; supporting practical, affordable innovations for small and medium-scale food businesses; improving analytical and risk-assessment capabilities; and translating research more quickly into policy, standards and everyday practice.
The centre also urged universities and research institutions to strengthen partnerships with government, industry and consumers.
“Scientific knowledge must move beyond laboratories and publications into solutions that can be used by food businesses, regulators, farmers, communities and policymakers,” it said.
The centre said it had been established to support these efforts through interdisciplinary research, professional training, food analysis and biosafety expertise, and the translation of scientific evidence into policy and practice.
It expressed readiness to work with public institutions, industry, researchers, development partners and communities to strengthen Ghana’s food system.
