Food Safety at stake – Daily Notable
By Marina Pervaiz
By Our Editorail Desk
The first-ever World Food Safety Day, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018, is now celebrated every year on 7th June under the theme “Food Safety to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development. Food adulteration and wastage continues unthwarted in Pakistan despite supply concerns and then there is Covid-19, a pandemic that shook the entire world badly.
We are dealing with two kinds of adulteration mafia; one with food adulteration who are injecting only disgust in our foods and one who are injecting viruses in us.
We all are well aware of the food adulteration mafia and during this pandemic they got a slight more chance of showing their cruelty against humankind. Just about yesterday there was news about Punjab Food Authority DG Irfan Memon raided on beverages in a local factory and as we all know Ramadan just passed a few weeks back and we know that drinks are a must on every table whether there is a severe virus spreading.
Pandemic Outbreak on Food & Beverage
Not only this but despite the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, food and beverage adulteration has continued unhindered in Pakistan with authorities having had to seize and discard thousands of units of dairy, fruits, spices and other items despite continuing food supply fears in the country.
Pakistan’s food industry was already faced with various internal threats such as rampant rumors about local foods such as mutton creating a further gap, sectors calling for lax leniency, and skyrocketing food prices amidst political upheaval, but Covid-19 has exacerbated matters by causing labor shortages nationwide as well as disrupting global trade and supply chains.
Worse yet, after the recent lifting of lockdown, Covid-19 infections appear to have returned to an upward trend in the country, leaving the government with the difficult choice of health versus economy, as many of its people already face severe poverty.
Locust Attacks
Most recently reports of rising locust attacks on winter-sown crops like wheat, chickpea and oilseed. Also hit the country, with indications that this is the worst infestation Pakistan has seen in 20 years. Driving Prime Minister Imran Khan to declare a national emergency over this new crisis yet another nail in the coffin. For the country’s hopes of boosting food supply.
Punjab which is the most populous province of Pakistan has reported numerous adulteration cases of food and beverages which is leading to discards and wastage.
In a series of raids conducted by Punjab Food Authority from mid-April till date thousands of liters of adulterated milk seized. And discarded from direct-sale milk shops and milk transport vehicles.
Milk containing powder, chemicals and polluted water were confirmed to be present in the milk. But milk is not the only problem Punjab is facing, food authorities has also destroyed spices found to expired. And contaminated by animal contact and/or droppings as well as hazardous fake betel nuts . With the potential to cause oral cancer and tooth decay.
Penalties By Food Authorities
Although the food authorities have put heavy penalties including fines and business closures in place to deter adulterates. But judging from the ever increasing amounts of food being wasted. Due to adulteration in the country, this is not having much of an effect either.
Identification of causes of food spoilage or contamination is the key point of producing safe food. Microbiological hazards are the most important cause of unsafe food.
Diarrhea the most common symptom of food borne infections and often followed by under-nutrition and impairment of the immune system. Pakistan is the 2nd largest food industry and has vital role in economic growth.
Establishing harmonized food standard practices protect consumers and facilitate international trade.
Provincial Food Authorities
It is unfortunate that Pakistan does not have National Food Standards Council. Provincial food authorities should play their part in adoption of international best practices.
In Pakistan, the safe food initiative has pioneered by Punjab Food Authority. And they have very vigilant towards the making of better technologies. And development of food security have their utmost priority.
Several efforts in the form of seminars, workshops and communication campaigns have launched in this regard to aware people. It valiant initiative taken by Punjab Food Authority that should endorsed and further actions should taken by government to cope up with the alarming situation.
According to (WHO) by 2030, there will be no safe food if serious measurements will not be taken anytime soon. Malnutrition is an emerging issue and people do not have safe food access, the availability, security and food safety is uncertain.
Pakistan in this day and age has to face a nutrition emergency, and that a roadmap for fortification. Needs to made and follow-ups required from the authorities.
PFA teams work with such integrity, there will fewer hospital visits if the focus remains on PFA’s. And governments guard.
The efforts of PFA must acknowledged that the way they have worked. In the last few years outweighs the efforts of the Authority since its inception.
The importance of World Food Safety Day should important for every single person alive. And it should on the notice of every person that with every drop of water an ocean is made.
Great
Good work keep it up