FDA Says Viral ‘Cemented Beans’ Video Did Not Originate in Ghana

Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has sought to calm public concern after a viral video appeared to show beans being preserved with a white powder suspected to be cement, stating that preliminary investigations indicate the footage did not originate in Ghana.

The video, widely shared on social media, shows individuals walking over heaps of beans, pouring a powdery substance onto the grains and sweeping it through the produce in what viewers alleged was a preservation process.

In a statement issued in Accra on February 16, 2026, the regulator said its initial review suggests the language spoken in the footage is not Ghanaian and that the procedures depicted fall well below the country’s recognised food safety standards.

“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 stated.

Hygiene Breaches Highlighted

The FDA pointed to multiple hygiene violations shown in the footage, including individuals handling beans with bare hands, applying unidentified substances without protective equipment and standing directly on the produce.

“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 regulator emphasised that the methods seen in the video are neither recognised nor approved within Ghana’s agricultural or food handling systems.

Public Reassurance and Warning

The authority urged consumers not to associate the practices in the footage with Ghana’s local food systems and called on farm produce aggregators and retailers to adhere strictly to approved preservation and handling standards.

Members of the public were also encouraged to report any suspicious food handling activities to relevant authorities.

Reaffirming its mandate, the FDA said it remains committed to ensuring that all food products on the Ghanaian market meet established safety and quality standards.

Source: Accra Street Journal 

Last Updated on February 20, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.

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