World Food Safety Day 2021
World Food Safety Day (WFSD) celebrated on 7 June 2021 aims to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development.
This year’s theme, ‘Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow’, stresses that production and consumption of safe food has immediate and long-term benefits for people, the planet and the economy. Recognizing the systemic connections between the health of people, animals, plants, the environment and the economy will help us meet the needs of the future. - WHO
Why Do We Need World Food Safety Day? - video
Food safety is a shared responsibility between governments, producers and consumers. Under the theme “Food safety, everyone’s business”, everyone has a role to play from farm to table to ensure the food we consume is safe and will not cause damages to our health; All are called to take action.
1. Policy Makers and Regulators - Ensure it’s safe - Government must ensure safe and nutritious food for all
2. Farmers - Grow it safe - Agriculture and food producers need to adopt good agriculture practices
3. Importers, Processors, Sellers, Exporters - Keep it safe - Business operators must make sure food is safe
4. Consumers - Eat it safe: All consumers have a right to safe, healthy and nutritious food - Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.
5. Inspectors, Laboratory, Food vendors, Consumers - Team up for safety – Food Safety is a shared responsibility
Food Safety is the absence... or lower levels that are acceptable to be safe… of hazards found in the food we eat, that may make us ill; this is called Foodborne illness. The things that makes our food harmful to us is called Foodborne hazards which can be microbiological, chemical or physical in nature and are often invisible to the plain eye: bacteria, viruses or pesticide residues are some examples. A critical part of healthy eating is keeping foods safe. Individuals in their own homes can reduce contaminants and keep food safe to eat by following safe food handling practices. Five basic food safety principles work together to reduce the risk of foodborne illness — Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill and Use safe water and raw materials.
Five Keys to Safer Foods- click for more details
#WorldFoodSafetyDay- Rinse produce
Rinse fresh vegetables and fruits under running water just before eating, cutting, or cooking. Even if you plan to peel or cut the produce before eating, it is important to thoroughly rinse with soap and water to prevent microbes from transferring from the outside to the inside of the produce.
WHO Statement on WFSD 2020-video Antimicrobial Resistance -video Good Agricultural Practices -video Food Safety Puzzle
