Professor Moji Adeyeye, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has advised Nigerians to avoid keeping cooked food in the refrigerator for more than three days.
She highlighted the risk that such food could become contaminated by pathogens, which are the main culprits of foodborne illnesses that can sometimes be fatal.
This caution was part of a statement released on Tuesday by Sayo Akintola, the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, in observance of the 2024 World Food Safety Day.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected.” Adeyeye called on all participants in the food supply chain to foster a culture of food safety within their practices to reduce hazards and risks that could threaten food safety.
World Food Safety Day, held every June 7, was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018 to promote awareness and encourage efforts to prevent, detect, and address public health risks related to unsafe food.
The statement emphasized the importance of this annual event in enhancing global food safety practices.
Adeyeye pointed out that food safety is crucial not only for public health but also for economic development and food security.
She stressed that ensuring food safety is a shared responsibility, requiring the active participation of everyone from producers to consumers.
She further explained that the goal of the World Food Safety Day campaign is to increase global awareness about food safety and to bolster efforts to prevent, detect, and manage foodborne risks by emphasizing the need to be prepared for unexpected food safety incidents.
Adeyeye urged everyone to remember that “food safety is everyone’s business” and “food safety is a shared responsibility” as they celebrate World Food Safety Day.
She highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in strengthening food safety systems, ensuring they are resilient, robust, and prepared for unforeseen challenges.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 600 million people—nearly one in ten worldwide—fall ill after consuming contaminated food each year, with 420,000 of these cases resulting in death.
This leads to the loss of 33 million healthy life years annually. WHO also reported that unsafe food causes $110 billion in productivity losses and medical expenses each year in low and middle-income countries.
Eva Edwards, the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, also emphasized the financial burden of foodborne diseases and noted that they are preventable.
She underscored the essential role of food in human life and warned that improperly handled food can become a source of harm.
Edwards advocated for a food safety emergency response that is based on a multisectoral, collaborative, integrated one-health approach.
This approach should involve the health, agriculture, and environment sectors, different levels of government, and relevant external partners and non-governmental organizations.
She concluded by encouraging everyone to contribute to promoting good hygiene practices in homes, communities, and food establishments to ensure a safer and healthier food supply for all.
