Collaborative efforts to ensure food safety crucial

Collaborative efforts of all government and non-government organisations concerned have become crucial to ensure food safety for the greater interest of protecting public health from hazards.

All sorts of unsafe foods like adulterated and contaminated ones are injurious to public health. So, there is no way but to ensure safe and nutritious food for all.

Government officials and other stakeholders came up with the observation while addressing an advocacy meeting with stakeholders styled “Food Safety” at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) in Rajshahi City on Tuesday.

Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) and district administration jointly organised the meeting with the main theme of the principle of good health being safe food and hygiene.

BFSA Chairman Abdul Kayum Sarker addressed the meeting as chief guest with DC Shamim Ahmed in the chair. BFSA Member Prof Abdul Alim gave an illustration of aspects of food safety along with the bad effects of unsafe food during his keynote presentation.

Vice Principal of Rajshahi New Government Degree College Prof Waliul Alam, President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries Masudur Rahman, Additional Deputy Commissioners Shariful Haque, Kolyan Chowdhury, Joya Maria Perera and Anisul Islam and Additional District Magistrate Sabiha Sultana also spoke.

Abdul Kayum Sarker mentioned collective efforts of all quarters including the government and non-government entities can be the crucial means of ensuring food safety for the sake of sound public health.

In-taking of safe food through changing food habits is very important for maintaining sound health coupled with thwarting various non-contagious diseases. He said none has the right to harm the consumers in general by supplying them with contaminated foods as the government is determined to protect the consumers’ rights.

Prof Abdul Alim opined that the number of patients suffering from various non-communicable diseases, including heart and cancer, is gradually increasing due to in-taking of various unhygienic and unsafe foods. So, there is no alternative to generating mass awareness in this regard.

He mentioned that food habits are very important for human life and they must be hygienic and safe. Overeating and over-drinking water are also harmful to human health.

Prof Abdul Alim said all the growing children must be debarred from in-taking any fast-food and other junk food for their proper physical and mental development by freeing them from all sorts of health risks.

He categorically said fast-food, junk foods and Trans fat are posing a serious threat to the present public health as those always trigger risks of various diseases.