REGIONAL FAO BULLETIN SOUNDS ALARM ON FOOD SAFETY RISKS
The latest regional bulletin from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlights the pressing issue of food safety in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region (foodsafetynews.com). Despite existing food safety management systems, consumers in this region face a high risk of exposure to contaminated food and foodborne diseases due to factors like tropical climate, unsafe water supplies, and weak infrastructure.
The key challenges include lack of coordination among sectors working on food safety; limited capacity for risk assessment and science-based approaches; shortage of quality data for risk-based preventive systems; inadequate knowledge of good agricultural and husbandry practices; excessive use of chemicals and drugs in food and animal production; insufficient controls and lack of awareness in the supply chain; and water scarcity, pesticide overuse, antibiotic residues, and food adulteration
To address these issues, the FAO has identified five priority areas namely reinforced control over primary food production; promotion of food safety and control management; recognition of the significance of an integrated data management system; preparedness and response to outbreaks and emergencies; strengthening food safety assessment practices
While recent events in the region, including summits, conferences, and training sessions, demonstrate a growing focus on food safety, Glytabs Consulting strongly believes that more efforts are needed to ensure the well-being of consumers in the NENA region. Food safety policies and strategies designed through multisectoral collaborations would go a long way in addressing the food safety challenges.
Image credit: foodsafetynews.com
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