The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the International Sweeteners Association (ISA) have called for greater reliance on scientific evidence in shaping Ghana’s nutrition and food policies, particularly as the country confronts the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The two organisations made the call at a multi-stakeholder roundtable and workshop in Accra that brought together representatives from government, regulatory agencies, academia, health professional bodies, civil society, consumer groups and the food and beverage industry.

Discussions focused on low/no calorie sweeteners (LNCS), nutrition, consumer choice and the need for balanced approaches to food policy.

The workshop also examined available scientific evidence on the safety and efficacy of low/no calorie sweeteners and their potential role in supporting healthier diets.

Participants further considered developments in Ghana’s nutrition and food policy landscape, including the recently launched Nutrient Profile Model (NPM), as well as international regulatory approaches and consumer understanding of food ingredients.

Director General of the International Sweeteners Association, Laurent Oger, said the engagement demonstrated the importance of open discussions informed by credible evidence.

“Around the world, these ingredients have been extensively evaluated by food safety authorities, and it is important that nutrition and food policy discussions continue to be guided by robust scientific evidence,” he said, adding that the ISA looked forward to continued engagement with stakeholders in Ghana.

AGI Chief Executive Officer, Seth Twum-Akwaboah, said collaboration among regulators, health experts, academia, civil society and industry would be essential to developing practical policies that advance public health.

“As Ghana continues to advance policies aimed at improving public health outcomes, stakeholder dialogue and access to credible scientific information will be critical to ensuring balanced, practical and effective policy decisions,” he said, reaffirming AGI’s commitment to supporting evidence-based policymaking and continued dialogue.