International Food Safety Day : 200 diseases caused by unsafe food

The International Food Safety Day, to be celebrated on 07 June 2023, will focus on food standards.

Albert BOMBA

Foodborne illnesses affect 1 in 10 people worldwide each year, and food standards help people ensure that what they eat is safe. According
to the World Health Organisation, an average of 1,600,000 people a day fall ill from eating unsafe food; 340 children under five die on average every day from preventable foodborne illnesses; 200 illnesses caused by unsafe food, ranging from diarrhoea
to cancer. Promoting food safety can make a difference. Thanks to the efforts of policy makers, food safety authorities, farmers, food professionals, cooks, scientists, teachers, students and consumers, food safety is a better known issue. In the four International Food Safety Day celebrations
that have taken place so far, the number of activities, their impact and the level of participation have continued to grow. Labelling
Food standards are a means of ensuring safety and quality. They tell farmers and processors how to handle food hygienically. They set maximum limits for additives, contaminants, pesticide residues and veterinary drugs that are safe for everyone to eat. In addition, they specify how food should be measured, packaged and transported to keep it safe. Through the application of standards such as nutrition or allergen labelling, consumers can know whether