Ghana is losing a significant portion of its frozen fish and chicken due to breakdowns in the cold chain, impacting consumer health and wasting resources. A recent study by CARISCA at KNUST found that food quality often degrades unnoticed before reaching consumers.
This problem primarily stems from improper temperature control during storage and transport, leading to partial thawing and refreezing. This process compromises food quality, creating potential health risks for consumers. The issue also reduces the availability of affordable protein for households, especially those with lower incomes.
These hidden losses contribute to broader economic and health challenges in Ghana. Food poisoning cases in Ghana annually exceed 600,000, partly due to compromised food. This situation also wastes energy and fuel, negatively impacting the environment and economic productivity. The integrity of the food supply chain is crucial for national health and economic stability.
The CARISCA study at KNUST involved interviews and surveys with 22 key actors and 298 participants across Ghana’s frozen food supply chain. Dr. David Antwi stated that the study covered regions such as Greater Accra, Western, Ashanti, and Northern regions. The research aimed to identify why and where food loss occurs in the system.
Addressing these issues requires decisive action from both industry and government. Businesses must invest in regular staff training on food handling and temperature control. Improved coordination between storage facilities and transport operations is also essential for maintaining the cold chain. This will help reduce quality compromises and protect consumers.
The study found that reported visible food losses typically remain below 10%, which can create a false sense of efficiency. However, a much larger portion of food suffers from hidden quality degradation due to inconsistent temperature management. This food is often sold at discounted prices despite quality concerns.
Transport operations show the greatest variation in performance, highlighting weaknesses in refrigerated logistics. Problems are more common during the early stages of the supply chain, such as importation, transportation, and wholesale. These stages often involve long transit distances, unreliable power, and insufficient temperature control practices.
A critical insight from the research is the importance of human factors, not just infrastructure. Even with modern cold storage and refrigerated trucks, the system fails without skilled personnel to operate and manage them effectively. Human knowledge, discipline, and proper handling practices are fundamental for ensuring an effective cold chain.
Ultimately, a well-trained workforce can significantly improve transport performance and reduce losses, even when infrastructure is limited. Therefore, Ghana needs to prioritize human capital development alongside technological investments in its cold chain. This dual approach will protect consumer health and strengthen food security.