Photo credit: UN News Centre
At an open market in Haute-Savoie, France, a vendor offers a variety of vegetables, all produced meeting standards recommended by WHO. Photo: WHO/V. Martin
UN stresses importance of food safety – from farm to plate – on World Health Day
With the food supply chain stretching around the world, the need to strengthen food safety systems within and among countries is becoming more critical.
With the United Nations health agency highlighting food safety on World Health Day, the Secretary-General today called for unified efforts to ensure that production, distribution, and preparation of food is done safely.
“The health, agriculture, trade, and environment sectors need to work together,” said Ban Ki-moon. “We all have a role to play in keeping food safe – from farm to plate.”
Mr. Ban pointed to the more than 200 diseases that can come from contaminated food and to the constantly evolving threat from new production, distribution and consumption methods, as well as the emergence of resistant bacteria.
“With the food supply chain stretching around the world, the need to strengthen food safety systems within and among countries is becoming more critical,” he said. “That is why, on World Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on countries and all actors to improve food safety from farm to plate and everywhere in between.”
To mark the day, the WHO released new data on the harm caused by foodborne illnesses and the global threat posed by unsafe foods.
“Food production has been industrialized and its trade and distribution have been globalised,” said WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan. “These changes introduce multiple new opportunities for food to become contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemicals.”
Read the full article: UN News Centre
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