FDA CLARIFIES VIRAL ‘CEMENTED BEANS’ VIDEO DIDN’T ORIGINATE FROM GHANA
Following initial inspections, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has taken action to explain that a widely shared video purporting to show beans being preserved with a white powder thought to be cement did not come from Ghana.
The video, which caused social media outrage, shows people walking over piles of beans, covering them with a powder, and then sifting it through the grains ostensibly to preserve them.
The FDA emphasized in a statement released in Accra on February 16, 2026, that the methods depicted in the film are not recognized or authorized locally and are not in accordance with Ghanaian food handling guidelines.
“Our preliminary review indicates that the language spoken in the video is not Ghanaian, and the procedures depicted fall far below acceptable food safety standards,” the authority said.
In the video, the regulator pointed out significant hygienic and safety violations, such as people standing directly on the fruit, handling beans with their bare hands, and using chemicals without safety gear.
“Such actions compromise food safety and public health. The FDA, together with its stakeholder institutions, does not approve of preservation practices that put consumers at risk,” the statement added.
The FDA assured the public that none of Ghana’s authorized agriculture practices include the hazardous preservation techniques displayed.
“Consumers should not associate these practices with our local food systems. Farm produce aggregators and retailers are urged to adhere strictly to approved methods, and the public should report any suspicious food handling activities,” the authority advised.
Reaffirming its commitment, the FDA concluded, “We remain dedicated to safeguarding public health and ensuring that all food products on the Ghanaian market meet established safety and quality standards.”
