By Jemimah Wellington, JKNMedia Reporter
AMPLIFYING A clarion call to stakeholders in the food supply chain, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has emphasized the need to adopt a robust food security culture, aiming to mitigate hazards and risks that could compromise food safety.
This urge was communicated by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, during the 2024 World Food Safety Day event themed “Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected.”
Prof. Adeyeye emphasized the importance of preventing foodborne diseases, which, according to WHO, cause illness in one in ten people globally and result in 420,000 deaths annually.
She warned against storing cooked food in refrigerators for more than three days to avoid contamination by pathogens that cause foodborne diseases.
Highlighting the critical role of food safety in public health and economic development, Prof. Adeyeye urged everyone, from farm to table, to ensure the food we consume is safe, the NAFDAC DG called for collective responsibility, emphasizing that both producers and consumers must be vigilant and proactive in maintaining food safety standards.
The event stressed the need for preparedness in addressing unexpected threats to food safety in a globalized food supply chain.
Also, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), are encouraging stakeholders to evaluate their readiness to manage food safety incidents, which can arise from accidents, inadequate controls, food fraud, or natural events.
In line with this year’s theme, NAFDAC reiterated the importance of a coordinated approach to food safety, involving policy makers, food safety authorities, farmers, food business operators, and consumers.
The agency also highlighted initiatives like the National Integrated Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response, developed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, as key to rapid response and management of foodborne diseases.
Mrs. Eva Edwards, Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), stressed that while foodborne diseases are costly, they are preventable with proper measures.
Edwards called for a multisectoral, collaborative approach to food safety emergency response, involving various experts and agencies to ensure comprehensive investigations and robust food safety systems.
In her closing remarks, Prof. Adeyeye reinforced the theme of shared responsibility: “Let us all stay true to the statements ‘food safety is everyone’s business’ and ‘food safety is a shared responsibility’. Working together, we will continue to strengthen our food safety system, ensuring its resilience, robustness, and preparedness for the unexpected.”
According to her, this call to action from NAFDAC on World Food Safety Day 2024 serves as a vital reminder of the critical role that everyone plays in ensuring a safer, healthier food supply for all.
