WORLD FOOD SAFETY DAY 2024: FOCUSES ON READINESS FOR UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES

Fri 07 June 2024:

Food is more than just sustenance; it’s integral to our health and well-being. While nutritious food enhances our health, unsafe food can lead to numerous illnesses. To underscore the importance of food safety, the World Health Organization (WHO) observes World Food Safety Day every June 7.

Maintaining safe and hygienic food is essential for good health, and every small effort contributes to a larger impact. This can begin right in our kitchens! By prioritizing safety in our daily food practices, we can make every day World Food Safety Day.

This year’s theme, ‘Food safety: prepare for the unexpected,’ emphasizes the importance of being ready to handle food safety incidents of all types and severities. Such incidents, which pose health risks due to accidents, lack of controls, fraud, or natural events, require vigilance from policymakers, authorities, food producers, and consumers alike.

At home, you can adopt simple yet crucial practices to ensure food safety and protect your family from foodborne risks, reinforcing the importance of food safety on a personal level.

World Food Safety 2024: Here Are 5 Tips To Ensure Food Safety At Home:

1. Maintain Hygiene:

After each cooking session, ensure thorough washing of hands, utensils, countertops, and gas stoves. Regular daily cleaning with deeper cleans every few days inhibits bacterial growth. This simple practice significantly reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses.

2. Handle Raw Foods with Care:

Raw foods, such as meats and seafood, are breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. Keep them refrigerated at all times and separate from cooked foods to prevent cross-contamination. This precaution minimizes the spread of pathogens and maintains food freshness.

3. Fortify Kitchen Defenses:

Pests like insects and rodents can carry diseases and contaminate food. Ensure all kitchen outlets leading outdoors are tightly sealed to prevent their entry. Additionally, install protective nets on windows to create an additional barrier against small insects. These measures safeguard your kitchen environment and protect your family’s health.

4. Maintain Produce Purity:

Even organic produce can harbour harmful bacteria and pesticides. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before consumption, regardless of their source. This simple step eliminates surface contaminants and reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses.

5. Master Precision Cooking:

Cooking food to the correct internal temperature is crucial for killing harmful bacteria. Use a food thermometer to ensure meats, poultry, seafood, and other perishables reach safe cooking temperatures. This practice guarantees that your meals are not only delicious but also safe for consumption.

Together, we can create a healthier and safer environment for ourselves and our families. Happy World Food Safety Day 2024!

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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