Charity Addo
9 July 2008
opinion
Fruits, be it fresh or dry, have been a natural staple diet of human beings since ancient times. Replete with minerals, vitamins and enzymes, they are easily digestible. Fruits are not only good sources of food; they also serve as medicines, and have the capacity to treat ailments.
Although it is healthy to take in fruits, those consumed in the capital city, rather serve as a threat to the life of consumers. These fruits are not only exposed to the sun, but are not hygienically preserved.
When these fruits get to Accra, from the hinterlands, they are kept in an open space, which invariably exposes them all sorts of environmental hazards, before being sold for consumption.
Research has proven that when fruits are exposed to the sun, a vitamin known as fructose, which is found in it, is converted to sucrose, which is deemed very harmful for human consumption. The content of the fruit when exposed to the sun, can not only be acidic, but can cause diseases such as diabetes and others.
When this reporter got to the Agboloshie Market, it was noticed that the fruits, especially oranges, were left exposed for two weeks, and also kept very close to a refuse dump.
For those who sell the peeled pineapple, they have chosen to add sugar to the fruit, to make it taste sweeter, and at other times colour is also added to make it attractive to consumers.
In an interview with Maame Oforiwaa, at the market, she disclosed that the fruits were left in the open space, until totally sold out.
One of her reasons for not keeping the fruits in the proper way, was the lack of space, and the fact that buyers prefer fruits in the open space, to that of an enclosed place, because it allows them choose their preferred ones, more easily
Research has proven that fruits, when exposed to the sun, do not only lose vital nutrients, but can cause health implications, like cancer and other dangerous sickness.
Your health is as important as anything, so consumers should beware of what is being taken in, so as to promote good health.
The government, or appropriate authorities, should put in place the necessary measures to curb this practice, in order to help protect consumers.
To traders, keep these fruits under hygienic conditions to save lives, because Ghana needs us all.
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