Food Safety: Why It Matters

Over 200 diseases are caused by food borne bacteria, parasites, viruses and chemical substances. Did you know that WHO estimates that annually, there will be 2 million deaths from contaminated food or drinking water?
 
In a micro-setting, when you are the consumer or the one who is preparing the food, it may not alarm you quite as much how  you can easily get sick from the food you consumed or cause someone’s illness but on a macro level it is an alarming problem of society.

Foodborne diseases

What are these foodborne diseases? They are caused by pathogens that can be a parasite, bacteria, virus or a chemical substance that can enter the body through ingestion.
 
Basic symptoms of foodborne diseases usually trigger diarrhea and more serious infections such as the dreaded meningitis. Foodborne diseases, when not treated properly or promptly, can lead to long-term disability and even death.

What are examples of unsafe food?

Unsafe food usually include uncooked meat, unwashed and uncooked vegetables, food that have been mishandled with faeces, and seafood that came from water that has been contaminated with toxins (more common in shellfish especially if raw).

What are the type of pathogens that can contaminate food?

Chemicals can also be contaminants of food and can cause serious to threats to health or even death. Examples of these dangerous chemicals are naturally occurring toxins common in mushrooms that are poisonous and staple foods such as corn or cereals. If not treated properly or promptly, may cause immune system and development complications and even cancer. Heavy metals (lead, cadmium and mercury) can cause kidney and neurological damage. Usually the contaminants can have contact with the food we eat through air pollution, water and soil.

WHO’s Strategic 5 Keys to Safer Food

Key 1: Keep clean.
Key 2: Separate raw and cooked food.
Key 3: Cook food thoroughly.
Key 4: Keep food at safe temperatures.
Key 5: Use safe water and raw materials.
 

Make Food Safety Your Responsibility

Keeping food and water safe is everyone's responsibility in a micro and macro level. In fact, you can start doing your part by making sure you ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS. In the micro level, it is us at home-- you, me, every family member and community member. In a macro level it is the government officials and everyone else who drafts policies, create laws in order to make the community safe from food contamination and drinking water contamination.