Simplifying African Cooking for Better Food Safety

Traditional African foods such as banku, kenkey, waakye, koko, and groundnut soup are staples in many Ghanaian homes. However, these nutritious meals can pose health risks if the grains and nuts used are contaminated with aflatoxin—a poisonous substance produced by mould that grows on poorly dried or improperly stored crops.

Long-term exposure to aflatoxin has been linked to liver disease, weakened immunity, and impaired growth in children. Fortunately, simple changes in food handling and cooking can significantly reduce these risks without altering traditional recipes.

The first step is to buy quality ingredients. Consumers should choose clean, dry maize, groundnuts, beans, and rice while avoiding mouldy, damaged, or musty-smelling produce. Before cooking, grains and nuts should be sorted to remove discoloured or shrivelled pieces and washed thoroughly.

Proper drying and storage are equally important. Maize, groundnuts, and other crops should be well sun-dried before storage and kept in airtight containers or hermetic bags in cool, dry places to prevent mould growth.

Cooking methods also matter. Thorough boiling, roasting, and proper fermentation help reduce harmful microorganisms and lower aflatoxin levels. For example, lightly roasting groundnuts before preparing soup and ensuring maize dough is prepared from clean, well-fermented maize can improve food safety. Likewise, rice and beans should be washed, sorted, and cooked thoroughly, while leftovers should be refrigerated promptly.

Food safety begins in the home. Although regulatory agencies continue to monitor food quality, households remain the first line of defence against foodborne diseases. Adopting simple practices—buying quality ingredients, sorting, drying, storing properly, and cooking thoroughly—can greatly reduce the risk of aflatoxin exposure.

Protecting our health does not require abandoning cherished African dishes. By handling food more safely, we can preserve our culinary heritage while ensuring healthier meals for our families and communities.