The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned traders against the unauthorised or improper use of chemicals to accelerate the ripening of plantain, warning that incorrect application could compromise food safety.

The warning follows a survey at the Madina Market in Accra, where the FDA found traders using Ethemax, a plant growth regulator containing ethephon 480 g/L SL, to speed up the ripening of plantain.

The FDA said the product is licensed but carries a “Harmful” hazard warning, and must be used strictly according to approved conditions and label instructions.

Speaking in an interview with Citi FM on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the FDA in charge of the Food Division, Roderick Daddey-Adjei, said the authority was not seeking an outright ban on Ethemax but wanted traders to use it correctly.

He explained that ethephon is a synthetic version of ethylene, a gas naturally produced by fruits during ripening.

“It is used when you follow the proper agricultural instructions… it is safe for use,” he said.

However, he warned that incorrect mixing or excessive application could expose consumers to high chemical residues and potentially cause health problems.

“If it is not mixed properly, you could get high doses of it,” he said, adding that improper use could affect the nervous system and cause nausea and stomach cramps.

The FDA said it had begun working with the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) of the Ministry of Agriculture to educate traders on the proper use and dosage of the chemical.

Daddey-Adjei said the FDA expected to meet market queens across the Greater Accra Region within one to two weeks as part of the training programme, before extending the exercise to other regions.

He said the intervention followed public concern sparked by a video in which traders at the Madina Market discussed the use of chemicals to accelerate plantain ripening.

The FDA said it was also collaborating with relevant authorities to take regulatory action against persons involved in the unauthorised sale, distribution or inappropriate use of agricultural chemicals.

The authority warned that incorrect concentrations or applying a product to commodities for which it is not authorised could result in unacceptable chemical residues and pose food safety risks.

“We caution against the indiscriminate use of chemicals or other substances to accelerate plantain ripening, as any inappropriate use may result in unacceptable chemical residues and potentially compromise food safety,” the FDA said.

Daddey-Adjei also raised concern over the use of acetylene, commonly known as carbide, by some traders to ripen plantain.

He described carbide as a more dangerous alternative to approved ripening chemicals, warning that it is toxic and can have immediate effects on people handling it.

The FDA official said the authority’s position was therefore not to prohibit all accelerated ripening, given the demand for large quantities of ripe plantain for events and commercial purposes, but to ensure that any chemical used is handled correctly.

“If it will be used, or if it must be done, then it must be done right,” he said.

He said traders could sometimes identify improper application of the chemical from dark spots appearing in a concentric pattern on the plantain skin, which he attributed to uneven gas distribution.

The FDA said it had already taken regulatory action against the trader identified in the Madina case, although Mr Daddey-Adjei did not disclose the specific sanction.

He said the authority’s broader approach would focus on education and engagement alongside enforcement.

He also cited Section 97 of the Public Health Act, saying traders who offer food for sale bear responsibility for its safety regardless of who supplied or produced it.

The FDA urged consumers to buy fruits and vegetables from trusted sources and wash fresh produce thoroughly with potable water before consumption.

It also encouraged members of the public to report suspected unsafe food handling and inappropriate chemical use directly to the FDA or environmental health officers at local markets rather than relying solely on social media.