Consume safe and wholesome food – NAFDAC
The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has urged Nigerians to consume only safe and wholesome food, noting that doing so will help boost their immunity against diseases.
Pro. Adeyeye, made this admonition in Abuja at the NAFDAC celebration of the 4th World Food Safety Day 2022, with the theme – Safer Food, Better Health, where she opined that, where food is unsafe, our nutritional goals cannot be achieved.
“Nigerians do not need medicines if they eat right, eating right means making healthy food choices.
“Safe food is an essential component of sustainable development and contributes to the improvement of public health, poverty reduction, and increased food security.
“The occasion of World Food Safety Day, is an added opportunity for us to create and generate awareness around food safety and situate it as a very significant issue of public health concern, especially in the light of safe, wholesome food important for boosting immunity and improving the body’s natural defence in fighting diseases.”
She noted that, their activities concern safe food practices or lack of it. She said, some food are frequently exposed to less hygienic and sanitary conditions, resulting in contamination and leading to incidences and outbreaks of foodborne diseases, situations that are steadily becoming significant food safety concerns.
“Unsafe foods are the cause of many diseases and contribute to other poor health conditions, such as impaired growth and development.
“We know that food safety is a shared responsibility and everyone has a role to play in ensuring we have safer food for better health, from growers to processors, to transporters, sellers, buyers, and those who prepare or serve food. Policymakers, educational institutions and workplaces, as well as consumers, are not left out. Food safety is the responsibility of all. We must all work together to help achieve safer food for better health.”
She said her Call to Action on this occasion of World Food Safety Day, goes out to four groups of stakeholders, namely – policy makers and food regulators, food businesses, educational institutions and workplaces as well as the consumers.
She also admonished consumers to practice safe food handling at home and follow the WHO’s Five Keys to Safer Food – keep clean, separate raw and cooked, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures and use safe water and raw materials.
“We have seized the opportunity of the World Food Safety Day to put together this capacity building event for staff members and I believe that it will provide an additional layer of awareness and knowledge on food safety, as well as ensure a food safety culture that will go beyond the celebration of World Food Safety Day today, while making us true advocates of the consumption of safe foods, leading to improved health outcome.’’
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