Food safety is a pressing concern in Nigeria, as it is in many countries. With a rapidly growing population, ensuring access to safe and nutritious food has become a critical challenge for the Nigerian government and its citizens. The lack of proper hygiene in the food supply chain, including production, retail, and culinary sectors, continues to pose a threat to the safety and quality of food.
Stakeholders in the food sector have called for enhanced collaboration to accelerate food safety measures and combat foodborne illnesses in Nigeria. Incidents of food contamination persist, endangering public health. Contaminated food, poor sanitation practices, inadequate food storage and handling, and limited access to clean water contribute to the occurrence of foodborne diseases in Nigeria, including diarrheal diseases, cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, and bacterial infections like Salmonella and E. coli.
Alarming statistics reveal that globally, around 600 million people fall ill each year due to approximately 200 different types of foodborne illnesses. In Nigeria alone, more than 200,000 deaths occur annually as a result of food poisoning and contamination. Encouraging collaboration and strengthening existing policies among government agencies such as NAFDAC and SON, the international community, industry players, and consumers is crucial. These efforts can lead to a sustainable and effective food safety system that benefits everyone and helps mitigate the risks associated with unsafe food practices in Nigeria.
The original version of the article can be found below : https://leadership.ng/strengthening-nigerias-food-safety-measures/
