June 7, 2023

As the world commemorates World Food Safety Day, the United Nations (UN) says access to sufficient amounts of safe food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health.

With an estimated 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, unsafe food is a threat to human health and economies, disproportionally affecting vulnerable and marginalized people, especially women and children, populations affected by conflict, and migrants.

An estimated 420 000 people around the world die every year after eating contaminated food and children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden, with 125 000 deaths every year

Foodborne illnesses are usually infectious or toxic in nature and often invisible to the plain eye, caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances entering the body through contaminated food or water.

Food safety has a critical role in assuring that food stays safe at every stage of the food chain – from production to harvest, processing, storage, distribution, all the way to preparation and consumption..

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also drawn attention to inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agricultural production.

Themed: Food safety saves lives, the WHO says it is not only a crucial component to food security, but it also plays a vital role in reducing foodborne disease.

Every year, 600 million people fall sick as a result of around 200 different types of foodborne illness. The burden of such illness falls most heavily on the poor and on the young. In addition, foodborne illness is responsible for 420 000 preventable deaths every year.

WHO further added that 340 Children under 5 years of age die due to preventable foodborne diseases, on average, every day, while 200 Diseases are caused by unsafe food, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers.

National policy on food safety in Nigeria

Nigeria’s food safety policy amongst other things is aimed at modernising the Nigerian food safety regulatory framework in line with international best practices

Minimising the incidence of risks associated with physical, chemical and biological hazards in foods and water.