Food Protection Trends - November/December 2023 - 591

BEYOND the BIO
food safety concern in the country. Aflatoxins
are produced by some species of fungi found on
crops such as maize, peanuts, cottonseed, and
tree nuts. Consumers can become sick when
they eat these contaminated products or meat or
dairy from animals who have consumed contaminated
feed. Further, farmers and harvesters who
inhale dust or otherwise ingest contaminated
particles during processes can also become ill.
" Food safety is something that I've always
wanted to contribute to, in the name of solving
problems, " Omari said. " Aflatoxins are one of
the major food safety concerns in Ghana, and
I've been able to use my experience in food
science, food safety, policy, and policy practice
to create a national policy for aflatoxin control
in food and feed in Ghana, which was adopted
in 2021 and is being implemented now. This is
impactful work. "
Omari went on to say that because of the
wide range of stakeholders who are interested in
aflatoxins, it often leads to research collaboration,
additional funding sources, and even greater
reach with the learning and programming.
Most recently, she is teaming up with researchers
from 17 other institutions from Europe and
Africa to work on the Food Safety for Africa
project through a grant from the European
Commission, where she will focus on analyzing
the enabling environment and generating data
and evidence on trade actors in the informal
sector for selected countries including Ghana.
Another component of this project will focus on
enhancing the capacities of value chain actors,
through training and provision of resources, for
aflatoxin control in maize.
She said she enjoys the collaboration and the
fruits of a team's labor to advance awareness,
learning, and policy about food safety issues
specific to the food sources that affect people in
her country and region.
" In our part of the world, the consumer is
not all that vocal if something is wrong with
their food, " Omari said. " We have a challenge
of helping consumers understand that all food
may not be good food - what we might call
food fraud and food adulteration- from adding
harmful things to the product or tampering
with the label and selling it beyond a safe date.
As technology and research advance to detect
food fraud, we in policy can further use those
findings to create protection for consumers.
Food safety really is a multidisciplinary field,
with a lot of different people involved. I think
that's a good thing. "
Not surprisingly, the biggest motivation for
Omari is being able to make positive changes
through policy, safe food, and consumer
awareness. When approaching research, she
said she often keeps in mind how she will
make scientific information accessible and
understandable to key stakeholders so they can
actually use it.
One primary vehicle for sharing this
information is through the nongovernmental
organization called EatSafe Ghana, which aims
to improve public health through safe and
nutritious foods. Omari serves as the executive
director of the organization. Primarily aimed at
consumers, EatSafe Ghana addresses food safety
challenges through the following ways:
* Capacity development;
* Public education and awareness creation;
* Evidence-based advocacy for increased
investments in food safety and nutrition
research, nutrient-dense food production,
food processing, and distribution;
* Women and youth empowerment;
* Health facilities, food safety, and hygienerelated
infrastructural development; and
* Research to generate evidence to influence
policy and practice.
" EatSafe Ghana has given me a platform to
reach out to all sorts of people, " Omari said. " It's
always been my passion to reduce problems. "
Today, in her role as a principal research
scientist at (STEPRI), she is often in a position
where she has the opportunity to mentor
students or new-to-the-industry food safety
professionals. As she has learned from her
own career journey, the field of food safety is
incredibly broad and diverse.
" Food safety can be applied to so many
sectors and places you can work - institutions,
ministries, laboratories, corporations, academia
- and I would encourage anyone to go out and
explore the possibilities, to open up their minds
to different opportunities that they might not
know existed, " Omari said. " And especially for
women, we need to encourage them to get in
those leadership roles and remove the barriers
that may prevent them from having their place
in advanced science and engineering. "
Rose is a member of the Board of Directors
of the African Continental Association
for Protection (ACAFP), responsible for
membership, and currently playing a lead
role in the planning of an ACAFP food safety
conference to be held in Ghana from 7-9
November 2023.
Q: TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.
A: I'm married and have four grown children - three girls and one boy. Three are either
finished or going through college now, and my youngest is in high school. When they
are all home, the house is busy! We like to cook together and also relax.
Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES OR FAVORITE PASTIMES?
A: My family and I like to attend social events and go to church activities on Sunday. I
travel quite a bit for work, so I prefer to stay closer to home when I'm not working. I also
like singing and, if I had more time, enjoy sewing.
November/December Food Protection Trends 591

Food Protection Trends - November/December 2023

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