World Food Safety Day marked on 7 June

Chisinau, June 7 / MOLDPRES /- World Food Safety Day is marked on 7 June. With the title Safer food, better health, this year's event aims to raise public awareness of the role that safe food has for health and is an opportunity to call for concrete actions in the fields of prevention, identification and addressing food risks and improving the health of the population.

The concept is supported and promoted by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Worldwide, an estimated 600 million people become infected as a result of consuming contaminated food and 420,000 die each year. Moreover, this causes the loss of 33 million years of healthy living. Children under the age of 5 are the most vulnerable, bearing around 40% of the consequences of unsafe food consumption. At the same time, they are most affected by malnutrition.

"More than 200 diseases are caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemicals such as heavy metals. Bacteria and viruses include Salmonella, Campylobacter, Entererohemorrhagic E. Colli, Vibrio cholerae, Neovirus and Hepatitis A virus, including parasites echinococcus, Taenia spp, Ascaris, Giardia, Cryptosporidium and Entamoeba histolytica. The most common chemical contaminants are natural toxins (mycotoxins, biotoxins and those generated by poisonous fungi) and environmental contaminants, ”says the National Agency for Food Safety.

The European Union, together with 188 countries, has, according to scientific evidence, made recommendations in all areas related to food safety and quality. These are the 'Codex Alimentarius' standards which ensure that the product is safe and can be accessed through trade networks.

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