Group warns on threat to food safety

It listed intensive agriculture, globalisation of food trade, mass catering and street food among changes that threaten safety of food between the farm and the plate.“Changes to the environment, new and emerging bacteria and toxins, antimicrobial resistance–all increase the risk that food becomes contaminated. Increase in travel and trade enhance the likelihood that contamination can […]

It listed intensive agriculture, globalisation of food trade, mass catering and street food among changes that threaten safety of food between the farm and the plate.
“Changes to the environment, new and emerging bacteria and toxins, antimicrobial resistance–all increase the risk that food becomes contaminated. Increase in travel and trade enhance the likelihood that contamination can spread.”
The assertion came as CSSUNN, a dilation of civil society groups advocating for nutrition and adoption of National Strategic Plan of Action for Nutrition (NSPAN) marked World Health Day, which this year focuses on food safety.
“A lot of changes have occurred in our food chain,” said Dr Terfa Kene, chairperson of Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, which partnered CSSUNN at a briefing in Abuja.
“Certain bacteria have undergone mutation, because of changes in the way food is produced or pesticides are used. What it means is that when food gets contaminated by these organisms, the drugs that we use might not have any effect.”
CSSUNN also raised concern about feeding patterns changed by globalisation and a more Western diet that’s leading to growing increase in non communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, stroke.
It warned women and children were still affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies, obesity, non-communicable diseases and other food related challenges despite progress in reducing malnutrition.
It attributes the challenges to “cheap, convenient, highly processed foods that are appealing to the taste”.
Dr Fatima Mairami, who heads the Nigerian Medical Association in Abuja, urged families to seek natural sources of food as replacement for junk food.