Plantain, Cocoyam, Cassava/Potato Fufu Powder – What Are We Eating?

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LONTO-BOY 9 years ago

This is highly informative and educative piece. Personally, I've always been suspicious of some of the Ghanaian food products like Palm oil, Palm nut cream/concentrate, and the Plantain/Cocoyam Fufu Powders on our Ghanaian/Af ...
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This is highly informative and educative piece. Personally, I've always been suspicious of some of the Ghanaian food products like Palm oil, Palm nut cream/concentrate, and the Plantain/Cocoyam Fufu Powders on our Ghanaian/African supermarket shelves. Most of the Plantain/Cocoyam Fufu varieties are not wholly what they appear to be or labelled. Most of the fufu products are basically : potato starch blended with colouring agents and flavours. This is food fraud.

Of course, the problem of food fraud in Ghana, especially, is helped by some of the corrupt Food Standards enforcement officers at the Food And Drug Board Authority. The actions and inactions of the Food Standards Authority have allowed these dishonest businessmen to put our health at significant risks, as most of the colouring agents and flavours contain cancer-causing agents.

Yes, our lifestyles could be blamed for the increasing heart diseases, cancer and diabetes among Ghanaians but I think we Ghanaians should be worried about what is in food and what we eat.
Gordon 9 years ago

Yes, a good piece in terms of information. But the authors should have told us in plain terms that these powdered fufu are all not that safe. They seem to know and should have told us what to avoid.

Now my question is man ...
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Yes, a good piece in terms of information. But the authors should have told us in plain terms that these powdered fufu are all not that safe. They seem to know and should have told us what to avoid.

Now my question is many of us eat the potato fufu that is made abroad. Do they also carry similar risks? I don't think so since the potato flour/starch we use here are also made for the local euro American market - indeed, principally made for them and we are the ones who found other uses for them. And since there are powerful consumer associations and higher product standards here than in Africa, the potato products here will be better. Luckily for me, I've eaten the European potato brand for so many decades the plantain/cassava/cocoyan variants don't taste good for me. I don't eat them. In Ghana I don't eat fufu kuraaa. I no longer like even the pounded one.

But why does the article contain so many grammatical and typographical mistakes even as the two authors display their gargantuan academic titles? Couldn't they edit each other?
Anokye Twum-Antwi 9 years ago

Great article, but rendered a bit laborious due to excess grammatical and typo errors.

Great article, but rendered a bit laborious due to excess grammatical and typo errors.
KOJO 9 years ago

IF YOU ARE EATING THIS KIND OF FUFU, YOUARE EATING JUST A COMMON COLORED FLOUR.I WILL NEVER AGAIN EAT THAT SUPERMARKET FUFU. COOK YOUR PLANTAIN, BLEND IT AND ADD POTATOE STARCH,PUT IT ON STOVE ,STIR IT FOR TWENTY MINUTES, YOU ...
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IF YOU ARE EATING THIS KIND OF FUFU, YOUARE EATING JUST A COMMON COLORED FLOUR.I WILL NEVER AGAIN EAT THAT SUPERMARKET FUFU. COOK YOUR PLANTAIN, BLEND IT AND ADD POTATOE STARCH,PUT IT ON STOVE ,STIR IT FOR TWENTY MINUTES, YOU GET YOUR FUFU. STOP EATING FLOUR. FLOUR IS FOR BREAD NOT FUFU.
Kwabena 9 years ago

kOJO you are so ignorant and misleading, FLOUR is not synonymous to WHEAT flour.There is no wheat in packaged fufu flour[powder], there may be potato flour component which is also in your recommended recipe.SO WHAT's the diff ...
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kOJO you are so ignorant and misleading, FLOUR is not synonymous to WHEAT flour.There is no wheat in packaged fufu flour[powder], there may be potato flour component which is also in your recommended recipe.SO WHAT's the differecce???
Dr. Simson 9 years ago

Great topic for discussion. This is not a journal to worry about grammar. In addition, American English is different from British and Ghanaian English.
Thanks for sharing something important with us given your busy schedule.

Great topic for discussion. This is not a journal to worry about grammar. In addition, American English is different from British and Ghanaian English.
Thanks for sharing something important with us given your busy schedule.
Gordon 9 years ago

Dr Simson, are you saying only journal articles should worry about grammar?

Don't u see many of the mistakes are due to simple carelessness (not whether it is British or American English) and they hamper what is otherwise ...
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Dr Simson, are you saying only journal articles should worry about grammar?

Don't u see many of the mistakes are due to simple carelessness (not whether it is British or American English) and they hamper what is otherwise "excellent info" as you say?
Sam 9 years ago

Good info

Good info
Sam 9 years ago

Do what you preach.

Do what you preach.
Brofo 9 years ago

Lexo, next time send your article to me for proof reading. The grammar needs some working on, yes it is that bad.

Lexo, next time send your article to me for proof reading. The grammar needs some working on, yes it is that bad.

Banza Yaro. 9 years ago

You could help us better by adding to the article than just proof reading. I walk the streets every day and hear the English man speak and make a lot of grammatical mistakes but I don't hear or see their own kind correcting t ...
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You could help us better by adding to the article than just proof reading. I walk the streets every day and hear the English man speak and make a lot of grammatical mistakes but I don't hear or see their own kind correcting them. Can you read and write your own language without fault?
Brofo 9 years ago

You are a joke, that englishman you are talking about does not write articles for yahoo or new york times. Yaro, you dont make sense. This article contains good info and also bad grammar period. There is more room for improve ...
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You are a joke, that englishman you are talking about does not write articles for yahoo or new york times. Yaro, you dont make sense. This article contains good info and also bad grammar period. There is more room for improvement.
Florence Awuah 9 years ago

I will like to congratulate the writers for taking time out of their busy schedules to provide us with such vital information. Personally it never crossed my mind that consumption of such products which we consider as substi ...
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I will like to congratulate the writers for taking time out of their busy schedules to provide us with such vital information. Personally it never crossed my mind that consumption of such products which we consider as substitutes and more convenient for some natural foods could be rather exposing us to some health hazards. It takes such dedicated and selfless people to come out with such a piece not as a sabotage but rather to ensure that people consume the right stuff. A serious investigation and research should be followed for the betterment of us all. Thank you.
Dr. Simson 9 years ago

Good comment Florence and not the self conceited Gordon.

You are an inspirer

Good comment Florence and not the self conceited Gordon.

You are an inspirer
K Amoako 9 years ago

Packaged in Ghana means made somewhere else, legalese.

Packaged in Ghana means made somewhere else, legalese.

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Plantain, Cocoyam, Cassava/Potato Fufu Powder – What Are We Eating?

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