WFSD 2023: Stakeholders highlight standards, urge governments to ensure safe food for consumers

*The Food and Agricultural Organisation and World Health Organisation, in a report released on the World Food Safety Day 2023, disclose 600 million consumers get sick due to the 200 different types of illnesses transmitted by food, causing 420,000 preventable deaths every year

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Global stakeholders on the occasion of the commemoration of the World Food Safety Day (WFSD) 2023, have emphasised the need for consumers to know what is safe food value chain.

ConsumerConnect reports the theme of this year’s WFSD is: “Food Standards Save Lives”, and food cum nutrition experts urged consumers should learn about safe and healthy food in regard to their well-being.

Food and nutrition

The stated this on the occasion of the World Food Safety Day 2023, which is in the fifth year, celebrated June 7 this year to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage food-borne diseases.

According to Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and World Health Organisation (WHO) special publication to commemorate the WFSD 2023, the United Nations (UN) agencies said the report was released to “draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agricultural production, market access, tourism and sustainable development.

“This publication is a guide for all those who want to get involved.”

The agencies further disclosed that every year, 600 million people get sick due to the 200 different types of illnesses that can be transmitted by food.

“Young people and populations with limited resources are among the most affected.

“Food-borne illnesses cause 420,000 preventable deaths every year,” the agencies stated.

Essence of celebrating WFSD

This yearly celebration, according to food safety experts, is aimed at raising awareness about the importance of prevention, detection, and management of risks through food safety practices, promoting debates, solutions, and ways to improve human health, trade, agriculture, and sustainable development.

“Standards not only provide farmers and processors with guidance on the hygienic handling of food, but also define maximum levels of additives and contaminants, among other components, that can be safely consumed,” they said.

On what world governments should do for boost food safety, the FAO and WHO stated the governments, organisations, and regional or intergovernmental bodies are responsible for setting such standards in different economies of the world.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, is one of the bodies responsible for setting international food safety and quality standards, stated the report.

The body said, “Food safety is everyone’s business”, as the slogan of World Food Safety Day, urges “the responsibility of each of us to preserve safe food along the supply chain, from farm to fork.

‘Every part of that chain, there are hazards that can cause contamination.”

WFSD 2023 calls governments, good producers and consumers to action

Ensure it’s safe: Governments must ensure safe and nutritious food for all.

Grow it safe: Agricultural and food producers need to adopt good practices.

Keep it safe: Business operators must ensure that food is safe.

Know what’s safe: Consumers should learn about safe and healthy food.

The stakeholders as well urged all to team up and work together for food safety and good health for all consumers!

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