Govt should foster multi-sectoral collaboration to adopt food safety standards: President Alvi

ISLAMABAD, June 07 (SABAH): President Dr. Arif Alvi has ssaid that World Food Safety Day is observed on June 07 across the globe to highlight the importance of healthy food and the need to eliminate unhygienic food, draw attention to the multiple ways of preventing, detecting, and managing food borne risks for safer food and better health.

In his message President said that this day is also dedicated to take action to prevent, diagnose, and control food borne hazards to enhance human health and ensure access of safe food to everyone.

He said that on this Day, people are urged to always eat meals from places that are clean and maintaining good standards of cleanliness, do not waste food and instead seek out ways to feed the hungry.

President said that Food safety is also a part of Sustainable Development Goals which calls for actions to end hunger, improve nutrition, promote sustainable agriculture and achieve food security.

The government should foster multi-sectoral collaboration to adopt food safety standards, launch public support programs by focusing on healthy and safe food and introduce strong policies in this regard.

The food manufacturing companies should follow food safety commitments, promote food safety culture and comply with international and national food standards.

The educational institutions and workplaces should support food safety education, promote safe food handling and engage with families.

The consumer should also be kept informed, promote food safety practices and observe safe food handling at home.

We all have a role to play; whether we grow, process, transport, store, sell, buy, prepare or serve food, food safety is in our hands. And, if we work together, we can all help achieve safer food for better health.