World Food Safety Day 2021: Things to know about food handling and Covid-19

World Food Safety Day is celebrated on June 7 around the world since 2018 The theme for this year lsquoSafe food today for a healthy tomorrowrsquo looks at how production and consumption of safe food has immediate and longterm benefits for people the planet and the economyIt was three years ago that the United Nations general assembly had announced the day and its significance mdash to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent detect and manage foodborne risks Jointly observed by the World Health Organization WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO the event also focuses on food security and health through agriculture market access tourism and sustainable developmentHere are facts worth knowing about food safety in India and the worldCovid19 and food safetySince the Covid19 outbreak people have had several concerns about food safety However in August 2020 WHO busted all myths by stating that as of now there is no evidence of the coronavirus spreading through food like fresh fruits and vegetables Instead consumption of fresh food should be encouraged as a part of a healthy diet it saidEarlier in 2019 FAO had said that the virus is transmitted primarily through droplets released by people who are infected while they are coughing or sneezing The Covid19 virus can neither grow nor survive on food because it requires a living host in order to multiply Even though it is said that the virus can survive on surfaces there is no evidence of how long it can survive on food and what amount would make a person sickThe possibility of being infected is not only less in fresh food but also through frozen or processed food as the UN agency stated that for a foodborne transmission to happen a person needs to consume enough infectious virus for the infection to take place Since there is no evidence currently of how much of the virus can result in infection it is highly unlikely for it to happen There is also no possibility of food packaging leading to an infection by the virusHowever it is better to follow basic food hygiene habits to make sure ones food is safe to eat The agency advises that people should wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and dry thoroughly before handling or preparing food and before eating itWhile there is currently no evidence of the disease spreading through the consumption of food the WHO also recommends cooking meat poultry and eggs at 70 degrees Celsius for safe consumption of foodGlobal burden of foodborne diseaseThe intergovernmental organisation also stresses on the need to recognise the global burden of foodborne diseases It does affect people of all ages but children under five years and persons in lowincome countries are most vulnerable which makes it all the more important to focus on food safetyFood safety is not only the responsibility of the people the UN agency says it need to be shared equally between all three stakeholders governments producers and consumers Food safety in IndiaOn June 7 Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar while highlighting steps taken for food security and nutrition in India said the government had launched the POSHAN Abhiyaan in 2018 to make India malnutrition free and had spent about Rs 15000 crore in 202021 on child nutrition schemesHowever when it comes to maintaining food safety standards in India one out of four food samples in India do not conform to the standards prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FSSAI according to FSSAIrsquos own data Unequal distribution of sufficient Food Safety Officers FSOs insufficient testing and absence of procedures accreditations and databases of food businesses continue to be a problem for food safety in the countryConnection between food and the environmentAs a part of this yearrsquos theme WHO believes it is important to first recognise the systemic connections between the different elements involved in the food chain This includes the health of people animal plants along with the environment and economy which will help meet future needswith inputs from PTIAlso Read What are the major symptoms of protein deficiency