FDA Issues Public Warning Over Use of Cement to Preserve Beans

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a public warning discouraging the use of cement or any unapproved substances to preserve beans, following a viral video circulating on social media showing what appears to be this practice.

In a statement released on 16 February 2026, the FDA stressed that the technique seen in the footage — where beans are coated with a white powdery substance believed to be cement — is not a recognised or approved method of preserving beans under Ghana’s food safety regulations.

The authority clarified that the content of the video does not reflect traditional or accepted agricultural practices in Ghana, nor is it endorsed by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s Plant Protection and Regulation Services Directorate.

Upon review, the FDA noted that the language spoken in the video isn’t Ghanaian and pointed to several unsafe handling practices shown — including applying substances without protective gear and walking barefoot on the beans. These actions, it said, raise serious food hygiene and safety concerns.

The regulator reiterated that using cement for food preservation is strictly prohibited, and condemned the unsafe handling and use of unapproved materials as harmful to public health.

The FDA also urged market aggregators, traders, and consumers to shun such methods and report any suspicious food handling behavior to the authority for investigation and possible sanctions.