You are here: HomeWebbersOpinionsArticles2022 03 26Article 1500236

Opinions of Saturday, 26 March 2022

Columnist: Afia Agyapomaa Ofosu

Canned food without pull-tabs, a dangerous product

File photo of canned food products without pull-tabs File photo of canned food products without pull-tabs

Walk to the shelves of supermarkets in Ghana and you may be surprised at the overwhelming numbers of both imported and locally manufactured canned food products attractively crammed for public sale. These products range from dairy, fruits, protein, grains, and vegetables.

The often affordable products offer convenience especially when you want to prepare a quick meal. In addition to this, they have a long shelf life and can easily be stored in the pantry when you need them next. Canned foods have nice-looking packaging designs which capture attention from the shelf but many of these products do not have pull tabs.

The pull tabs save time and make it easier to open the can. At home, school and work, we often consume canned foods to save ourselves some stress. However, these products become complicated for consumers when they do not have pull tabs.

I don’t want to believe that Food Processing Companies are only interested in making money but not concerned about the safety of the consumer. What is more worrying is that one is likely to get hurt in the process to open the canned product with a sharp tool such as a knife or cutter.

The packaging of protein products, especially corned beef, should be upgraded from the rather archaic key opener to an easy way of opening the product.

For years, consumers are faced with a stressful adventure when they misplace the key.

They are then forced to use a sharp tool to open the product.

The worrying experience has persisted for years and individuals in the food supply chain should take a critical look at.

The world has evolved, and the various Food Processing Companies cannot rely on the same packaging for decades. They should add a bit of innovation and prioritize the safety of their consumers.

Canned food markets across the world can derive customer satisfaction by providing safe packaging with easy pull-tabs.