We are in a period where taking strict steps towards food safety considering the importance of food to our daily living and to health.
Food safety has remained an important issue in developing and developed world, thus the World Health Organization (WHO) reports, show the illness due to contaminated food is perhaps the most widespread health problem in the contemporary world and an important cause that has reduced socio-economic productivity.
Adequate and satisfactory food hygiene and safety is one of the foundations on which the people care should be rest. The need to amplify the sensitization of Nigerians on food safety and hygienic against disease, death and disability arising from consumption of unwholesome food must be strongly taken seriously.
According to Professor Alfred Ikenkuronye, more than 200,000 persons die of food poison in Nigeria annually. The death on food poison is caused due to various ways food exposure to contamination in unhygienic environment.
The need for avoidance of contaminated food with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, chemical and physical contaminants are very important for healthy eating. Ensuring food safety is key to preventing food borne illnesses and other viral diseases contracted from consumption of unsafe foods.
The signs and symptoms of food borne illness ranges from gastrointestinal symptoms, such as stomach upset, diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and dehydration, to more severe systemic illness, such as paralysis and meningitis, hence emphasizing the importance of food safety and hygiene is vital in prevention of food borne illnesses.
The way forward, people living in both rural and marginalized communities need an engaging sensitization to create more awareness on food safety and hygiene among the people comparing to the level of sensitization in the cities and urban areas.
Recognition of FAO and WHO guidelines and regulation for food processing, handling and consumption are of great importance. Food safety starts from farm to the dishes, farmers must ensure to check how they grow their food crops in the farm and avoid adulteration of food, food processors and packaging companies must ensure contamination free process. Government should sign into law the labeling of genetically modified foods imported in the country to save consumers from risk.
Contamination can occur anywhere in the food cycle, everyone must take food safety as a matter of personal business and inclusive sensitization to reduce morbidity and mortality rate, together with the fight against COVID19 infection cases. Nigerians should be aware to practice the FAO and WHO’s key principles of food hygiene which are; keep clean, separate raw and cooked food, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperature, use safe water and raw materials. Food safety, everyone’s business!
– Godwin Adinoyi Jimoh
Barns Connect,
Email: jimohgodwinadinoyi@gmail.com
