LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof Moji Adeyeye, has advised Nigerians against keeping cooked food in the refrigerator for more than three days.
She cautioned that prolonged storage could expose the food to disease-causing pathogens, leading to potentially fatal foodborne illnesses.
Adeyeye conveyed this information in a statement released on Tuesday and signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola.
According to the statement, Adeyeye mentioned this during the commemoration of the 2024 World Food Safety Day under the theme ‘Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected’.
She urged stakeholders in the food supply chain to proactively establish a culture of food safety in their operations, aiming to reduce food hazards and risks that may threaten food safety.
The United Nations General Assembly established World Food Safety Day on June 7 to raise awareness and promote initiatives aimed at preventing, detecting, and addressing public health risks associated with unsafe food.
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The statement partly read, “She however, urged Nigerians to refrain from storing cooked food in the refrigerator for more than three days, warning that cooked food stored in the refrigerator for days is susceptible to contamination by disease-causing pathogens, key agents of foodborne diseases that can lead to death.”
Adeyeye emphasized that food safety is crucial not only for public health but also as a fundamental requirement for economic development and food security.
She noted that food safety is a collective responsibility, adding that everyone from producers to consumers needs to play their part to ensure food safety.
She stated that the campaign aims to enhance global awareness of food safety, reinforcing efforts to prevent, detect, and manage foodborne risks globally.
The campaign emphasizes the significance of readiness in handling food safety incidents effectively.
“Let us all stay true to the statements ‘food safety is everyone’s business’ and ‘food safety is a shared responsibility’ as we celebrate this year’s World Food Safety Day. Working together, we will continue to strengthen our food safety system, ensuring its resilience, robustness, and preparedness for the unexpected,” she said.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 600 million people – nearly one in 10 worldwide – become ill each year from consuming contaminated food, leading to 420,000 deaths annually and the loss of 33 million healthy life years.
WHO further reports that unsafe food costs low- and middle-income countries approximately $110 billion annually in lost productivity and medical expenses.
Also the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Mrs. Eva Edward’s emphasized that foodborne illnesses are costly but preventable.
Edwards underscored the essential role of food in sustaining human life while highlighting its potential for harm if mishandled.
She stated that food safety emergency response must be anchored on a multisectoral, collaborative, integrated one-health approach across the health, agriculture, and environment sectors, the tiers of government including relevant external partners and non-governmental organisations.
‘’Let’s all play our part in promoting the culture of good hygiene practices in our homes, communities, and food establishments. Together we can ensure a safer and healthier food supply for everyone,” she noted.