Mr Delawson Asafo, Environmental Health officer for Asuogyaman, has called for medical screening for coconut sellers to ensure consumer safety.
He noted that the coconut trade has become a huge business, which must be regulated just as other food vendors were screened and regulated in line with consumer safety.
Speaking in an interview with the GNA, he suggested that the Food and Drugs Authority and the Environmental Health Department work together to design a regulatory procedure to ensure hygiene and food safety.
He noted that from the plucking of the coconut to the selling itself required the use of the hands, which could cause contamination leading to health risk for the consumer.
Ms Yvonne Abayateye, a coconut consumer, told GNA that the appearance of the sellers and disregard for hygiene was worrying and they needed to be regulated.
“Their appearance, surroundings and the knife used to cut the coconut are always dirty, yet people buy because of the health benefits.”
