Food Safety And Consumer Education

The mandate of Food Safety And Consumer Education Directorate-FSDEDir is to ensure food safety along the food value chain and manage food safety incidents to protect public health. Empowering consumers through public awareness campaigns resulting in increased demand for safer foods is a major focus of the Directorate. Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders including key partners, institutions and actors along the food chain is instrumental in achieving a harmonised and coordinated approach to management of food safety issues. The FSCEDir has two Departments.

• Food Safety Coordination and Consumer Education Department (FSCCED)
• Food Service Establishments Department (FSED)

Food Safety Coordination and Consumer Education Department (FSCCED)

The Mandate of the FSCCED is defined in the following Sections of part 7 of the Public Health Act, 2012, Act 851;

• Section 134 notification of Food Borne Diseases.
• Section 82 (f) Functions of the Authority
• Section 148. (1)-(4) Guidelines and Codes of Practice.
• Section 147. (1)-(3) Regulations

Scope of Mandate

The Department carries out food safety monitoring and education; undertakes foodborne disease surveillance and investigations; and serves as the contact point for International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) in Ghana.

Operational Activities

The operational activities for the Department are as follows:

• Contact point for INFOSAN (International Food Safety Network)
• Surveillance of foodborne diseases and Investigation to monitor outbreaks
• Monitor food safety alerts and institute appropriate measures
• Train health facilities on foodborne diseases surveillance reporting
• Implement the National Food Safety Emergency Response Plan (NFoSERP)
• Foster Food Safety stakeholder collaborations for harmonized approach to food safety management.
• Carry out food safety monitoring activities
• Conduct food safety risk assessment of GM food and feed
• Coordinate implementation of the National Food Safety Policy and National Salt Iodisation Programme
• Develop contents for food safety educational materials
• Custodians of food safety educational materials
• Create awareness on food safety among the public and organise public education programs.
• Coordinate the organisation of the annual World Food Safety Day celebration.
• Develop Guidelines, Codes of Practice and other Regulations to ensure compliance along the agro produce supply chain

The Department has three operational units; Foodborne Disease Surveillance Unit (FDSU), Food Safety Monitoring and Biosafety Unit (FSMBU) and Food Safety Consumer Education Unit (FSCEU).

FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS DEPARTMENT

 The Mandate of the Food Service Establishments Department is defined in the following sections of part 7 of the Public Health Act, 2012, Act 851;

• Section 130 Registration of premises
• Section 131 License and permits
• Section 100 (3) – (7) Prohibited Acts
• Section 82 (f) Functions of the Authority
• Section 147 (1) – (3) Regulations
• Section 148 (1) – (4) Guidelines and Codes of Practice

 Scope of Mandate

The Department ensures the safety and quality of ready-to-eat foods cooked for commercial purposes through the inspection of food service establishments and street food vendors. The Department also issues Food Hygiene Permits to compliant food service establishments and street food vendors.

Operational Activities

The operational activities for the Department are as follows:

• Inspection of food service establishments – hotels, restaurants, contract caterers, canteens, snack bars, food vans, bakeries and chop bars.
• Surveillance for unregistered food service establishments
• Sensitizing, inspecting and registering street food vendors
• Issuance of Food Hygiene Permits and Street Food Vendor Permits for approved food service establishments and street food vendors respectively.
• Consumer Complaint Investigations into food product safety and quality issues.
• Collaboration with Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) to ensure Food Safety at the District Level.

These activities are executed by three operational units under the Department; Food Service Establishment Inspections Unit (FSEIU), Institutional Catering and Surveillance Unit (ICSU) and Street Food Inspections Unit (SFIU).