Food Standards Save Lives - WFSD Edition

Life is precious and delicate. In less than a minute, a person who once had the breath of life can become lifeless due to different causes one of which is consumption (eating/drinking) of contaminated food or beverage. According to World Health Organization (WHO), this is the reality of about 420,000 persons out of the 600 million persons who get sick yearly due to consumption of contaminated food or beverage. Cause of death for these ones were not gun violence or terrorism but consumption of unsafe food!

An anonymous quote says that,

"The greatest gift of life is life itself".

It is on this premise that preservation of life is built.

Question 1: How can we save our lives? (This question is not from a religious perspective now ??, so think again before answering).

Since unsafe food has been identified as a leading of cause of death globally, therefore, it is important that awareness is raised about prevention, detection, and management of hazards in food (which may be physical, chemical or biological) through food safety practices.

The theme of this years World Food Safety Day (WFSD) coming up tomorrow June 7, is "Food Standards Save Lives".

This theme is an answer to Question 1: "How can we save our lives?"

Food standards are established by international (example: Codex Alimentarius Commission) and local (example: Standards Organization of Nigeria) regulatory agencies to foster food safety and quality consistently in the food value chain from farming to processing, manufacturing, sale, distribution, retailing up till the food reaches the end-users.

Food standards define important aspects of food safety like:

• Maximum residue limit (pesticide residue)
• Antibiotic residue limit
• Food additives (GRAS)
• Limits for chemical toxins like aflatoxins
• Microbial limits for pathogenic and spoilage organisms.
• Etc.

"Food safety is everyone's business".

I love this World Food Safety Day slogan so much because it recognizes collectivism and the role everyone (farmers, processors, manufacturers, government, distributors, retailers and consumers) has to play in achieving safe food for all, from farm to fork.

Farmers are responsible for growing crops and livestock by adopting good agricultural practices.

Food processors and manufacturers are responsible for producing safe and quality food by adopting good manufacturing practices.

Government and regulatory agencies are responsible for enforcing food standards at all levels of the food value chain.

Consumers have a responsibility to learn about safe food and the risks of consuming contaminated food.

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." ~Benjamin Franklin

Food safety is everyone's responsibility. You have been involved. Now it's time to learn and spread the news!

This months newsletter is a call to take responsibility. Stay safe out there, until next time.

Written and edited by: Chidinma Ochulor for ??????'?? ???????? ????????! ????????????????????.

Chidinma is a Food Scientist and Technologist, Food Safety and Quality Professional and certified by IRCA/CQI as a food safety management systems auditor.