Civilization as it is known today could not have evolved, nor can it survive, without an adequate food supply. Foodborne diseases affect 1 in 10 people worldwide each year. Being a little more vigilant about the food we eat is always going to make us more conscious about our health.
The United Nations General Assembly established World Food Safety Day in 2018 to raise awareness of this important issue. WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly facilitate the observance of World Food Safety Day, in collaboration with Member States and other stakeholders?
Food standards are a way of ensuring safety and quality. They provide guidance on hygienic food handling for farmers and processors. They define the maximum levels of additives, contaminants, residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs that can safely be consumed by all. Furthermore, standards specify how the food should be measured, packaged and transported to keep it safe. Thanks to the application of standards on things like nutrition and allergen labelling, consumers can know whether the food will be good for them.
We all have a role to play; whether we grow, process, transport, store, sell, buy, prepare or serve food, food safety is in all our hands. And if we work together, we can all help achieve safer food for better health.
Let us celebrate the occasion of World Food Safety Day by coming together and taking a pledge that we will be more conscious about what we will eat.
Looking forward to see you all in the World Food Safety Day events planned in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Chief Organizer
World Food Safety Day
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
