FDA Alert: The Severe Dangers of Using Cement to Preserve Beans

A viral video circulating on social media has prompted a urgent public health warning from Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). The footage depicts a hazardous food handling practice: the application of a white, powdery substance—suspected to be cement—to stored beans to prevent insect infestation and moisture. The FDA has unequivocally stated that this method is not only illegal and unrecognized in Ghana’s agricultural or food safety frameworks but also poses grave, potentially life-threatening risks to consumers. This comprehensive guide explains the FDA’s warning, the science behind the danger, and what every consumer and vendor must know to protect public health.

Introduction: A Viral Threat to Food Safety

In an era where viral content can spread dangerous practices across borders in minutes, Ghana’s regulatory bodies have acted swiftly to counter a specific threat. The FDA’s public alert, issued on February 16, addresses a deeply concerning video showing the adulteration of a staple food—beans—with a construction material. This incident underscores a critical intersection of informal preservation techniques, cross-cultural misinformation, and catastrophic food safety breaches. The primary intent of this article is to translate the FDA’s official warning into clear, actionable knowledge for the public, dismantling any perception that such a practice could be safe, traditional, or advisable. We will explore the factual basis of the warning, the toxicology involved, the legal stance in Ghana, and the collective responsibility required to safeguard the food chain.

Key Points of the FDA Warning

The FDA’s statement is clear and leaves no room for ambiguity. The core messages are:

Unsafe & Unrecognized Practice: The application of cement or any similar chemical powder to beans for preservation is not a recognized or recommended practice in Ghana. It has no endorsement from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture or any legitimate food safety authority.
Violation of Standards: The handling shown in the video—using chemicals without protective equipment and applying substances with bare hands—flagrantly violates established food safety and occupational health protocols.
Non-Ghanaian Origin: The FDA noted that the language in the video is not Ghanaian, suggesting the practice may originate from another region where such dangerous methods have been incorrectly adopted or shared.
Public Health Threat: Cement is a construction material containing highly alkaline and toxic compounds. Ingesting even small amounts can cause severe internal chemical burns, organ damage, and long-term health consequences.
Call to Action: The FDA urges aggregators and retailers to abandon such practices immediately and implores the public to report any suspicious food handling to the Authority for investigation.

Background: Beans in Ghanaian Diet & Common Preservation

The Staple Significance of Beans

Beans (including varieties like kidney beans, black-eyed peas, and cowpeas) are a fundamental source of plant-based protein, fiber, and essential nutrients in the Ghanaian diet. They are a cost-effective and versatile component of daily meals, from stews and soups to standalone dishes. Ensuring their safety from farm to table is therefore a matter of significant public health and economic importance.

Traditional & Safe Preservation Methods

Historically and in modern approved practice, preserving dried beans focuses on controlling moisture and pests through physical means:

Thorough Drying: Harvested beans are sun-dried to a very low moisture content (typically below 13%) to inhibit the growth of mold and insects.
Aeration & Storage: They are stored in clean, dry, airtight containers—such as food-grade plastic buckets, jute sacks, or silos—often with natural pest deterrents like dried neem leaves or food-grade diatomaceous earth (a non-toxic, silica-based powder).
Sorting & Cleaning: Prior to storage and cooking, beans are meticulously sorted to remove stones, debris, and any damaged or insect-infested specimens.

These methods, promoted by agricultural extension services and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, are effective, safe, and preserve the nutritional integrity of the beans. The use of industrial chemicals like cement has never been part of this sanctioned knowledge base.

Analysis: Why Cement is a Catastrophic Food Adulterant

Understanding the severe danger requires a basic look at what cement is and what happens when it is ingested.

The Chemical Composition of Hazard

Common Portland cement, the type likely depicted, is a complex mixture of calcium silicates, aluminates, and ferrites. Its key hazardous properties for ingestion are:

Extreme Alkalinity (High pH): Cement is highly alkaline, with a pH often between 12 and 13. This is comparable to strong drain cleaners or lye. When it comes into contact with moist tissues (mouth, esophagus, stomach), it causes a violent exothermic reaction, leading to immediate chemical (alkaline) burns.
Presence of Free Lime (Calcium Oxide): Cement contains free calcium oxide (CaO). When this reacts with water in the body, it forms calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂), a process that generates significant heat, causing thermal burns in addition to chemical ones.
Heavy Metal Contaminants: Cement can contain trace amounts of heavy metals like chromium, nickel, lead, and arsenic from its raw materials. These are known carcinogens and can cause heavy metal poisoning with chronic exposure.
Silica Dust: While a greater inhalation risk, crystalline silica in cement can also cause damage if ingested.

Immediate and Long-Term Health Consequences

The ingestion of cement-coated beans can lead to a spectrum of health crises:

Acute Injuries: Immediate symptoms include severe pain, nausea, vomiting (which may be bloody), difficulty swallowing, drooling, and abdominal pain. The esophagus and stomach lining can undergo necrosis (tissue death), leading to perforation, mediastinitis, or peritonitis—all life-threatening surgical emergencies.
Gastrointestinal Damage: Scarring and strictures (narrowing) can form in the digestive tract, causing long-term swallowing difficulties, obstruction, and malnutrition.
Systemic Toxicity: Heavy metals absorbed into the bloodstream can damage the kidneys, liver, and nervous system. Chromium, in particular, is a potent sensitizer and carcinogen.
Kidney Failure: The combination of direct tissue damage, dehydration from vomiting, and toxic load can precipitate acute kidney injury.

There is no safe level of cement consumption. Cooking does not neutralize these hazards; the alkaline and toxic properties remain intact.

Legal and Regulatory Implications in Ghana

The FDA’s warning is backed by Ghana’s legal framework for food safety:

Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851): This act prohibits the sale of food that is adulterated, unsound, or unwholesome. Adding cement to beans constitutes gross adulteration.
Food and Drugs Act, 1992 (PNDCL 305B): Mandates that food must be prepared, stored, and sold in a sanitary manner and must not contain any substance that may be injurious to health.
Potential Penalties: Offenders, including aggregators, wholesalers, and retailers found selling adulterated beans, face severe penalties including seizure and destruction of the contaminated produce, substantial fines, and potential imprisonment. The FDA, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service and other stakeholders, has the authority to prosecute such violations.

This practice is not merely an “unsafe method”; it is a criminal act under Ghanaian law.

Practical Advice: Protecting Yourself and Your Family

Vigilance is the first line of defense. Here is concrete advice for consumers and vendors.

For Consumers: How to Identify and Avoid Treated Beans

Visual Inspection: Examine dry beans closely. Safe beans have a uniform, natural color and a matte, dry surface. Beans treated with cement may have an unnatural, chalky, or powdery white coating, especially noticeable if you rub a few between your fingers. The coating may appear uneven or clumped.
Smell Test: Safe beans have a neutral, earthy smell. Cement-treated beans may have a faint, suspicious odor reminiscent of wet cement, chalk, or a chemical/industrial smell. Do not rely on smell alone, as the odor may be faint.
Washing & Soaking: When you wash or soak beans, observe the water. If it turns milky white or chalky, do not consume the beans. Discard the water and the beans immediately. Safe beans will produce clear or slightly cloudy water from natural dust.
Source Responsibly: Purchase beans from reputable, licensed retailers and known markets. Be extremely wary of very cheap, bulk sales from unfamiliar aggregators.
Cooking Observation: While cooking does not remove the hazard, you may notice an unusual residue or scum in the pot that does not dissipate.

For Vendors and Aggregators: Ethical and Legal Obligations

Abandon Hazardous Practices: Immediately cease any use of chemicals, cement, or non-food-grade substances for preservation. The risks of causing severe harm, litigation, and criminal prosecution far outweigh any perceived benefit of pest control.
Adopt Approved Methods: Invest in proper drying facilities (e.g., raised platforms, clean tarps), airtight storage, and natural, food-grade pest management solutions. Consult with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture or the FDA for guidance on best practices.
Supply Chain Transparency: Know your source. Ensure farmers and aggregators you buy from use safe, traditional methods. Request documentation or assurances where possible.
Training: Ensure all staff involved in handling and storage are trained in basic food safety and hygiene.

What to Do If You Suspect Adulterated Beans

Do Not Consume: If you have beans you suspect are treated, do not taste them. Seal them in a plastic bag.
Report Immediately: Contact the FDA through their official channels:
- Hotline: 0302 233 429 / 0302 233 428
- Email: info@fdaghana.gov.gh
- Website: www.fdaghana.gov.gh
- Physical offices in Accra and regions.
Provide Details: Report where you purchased the beans, any identifying marks on the packaging or seller, and if possible, provide a sample (sealed safely).
Seek Medical Help: If you or someone has already consumed beans you suspect are treated and experiences symptoms like severe throat/abdominal pain, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing, seek emergency medical attention immediately. Inform the doctor about the potential cement ingestion.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is using cement to preserve beans a common practice anywhere?

A: While deeply concerning, this is not a widely recognized or endorsed food preservation method in any country with a functional food safety system. The FDA’s assertion that it is not part of Ghanaian tradition is accurate. The viral video likely depicts an isolated, ignorant, and dangerous practice being shared without context. It must be categorically rejected.