World Food Safety Day by Dorn Daly

As I reflect on a career in Catering of over 38 years now…. Trust me, I was shocked to count those years, I reflected on a statement that my first Executive Chef said to me, and I have said to my staff ever since, “Food makes us equal, regardless of wealth, status or culture - we all love and are interested in food”

 Today is the WHO “World Food Safety Day”, as it was agreed back in 2018 by the United Nations General Assembly that there needed to be a more global focus on the importance of safe food, to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks. In 2023 the focus of the day is “Food Standards Save Lives”

All too often, this is an area of little consideration in developed nations because we have the best of everything, equipment, technology and produce. Regardless of this, we have evolved into a global consumer with an endless selection of fresh, frozen, dried, or preserved produce and products.

Knowing that these products have been ethically and sustainably grown or produced is a paramount first step and an obligation of Companies across the globe to ensure that these products are grown through world-class agriculture methods, are transported, and stored in controlled environments and prepared ethically in other products.

Equally individually, we also play an imperative part in that process with how we care for the food when it is within our control by ensuring that we.

§  Wash fruit & vegetables before preparing or consuming (8 Tips to Properly Wash Fruits and Vegetables - Bing video)

§  Wash and sanitise benches and cutting boards (Sanitizing: How to Sanitize Your Home and Kitchen | The Science of Sanitizing - YouTube)

§  Use coloured cutting board for different products (coloured cutting board chart australia - Bing images)

§  Keep food at the required food temperature while storing and preparing (Keeping food at the right temperature (foodstandards.gov.au))

§  Segregate cooked and raw food to prevent cross-contamination (How Does Cross-Contamination Happen? - Bing video)

Please join Hivesmart today and share the importance of understanding that our use, treatment, and consumption of the available produce is paramount to the wellbeing of our families, children, and future generations. We all play a part in food safety, from Companies ensuring that standards are in place, that breaches are enforced, and that learnings are shared. Still, equally, we are all responsible for ensuring that we play our part and treat food with the love and respect we have for our loved ones, our friends, and our customers because they are the recipients.

Facts - REF WHO website- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety

·       An estimated 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food, and 420 000 die yearly, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years (DALYs).

·       In low- and middle-income countries, US$ 110 billion is lost yearly in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe food.

·       Children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden, with 125 000 deaths yearly.

·       Foodborne diseases impede socioeconomic development by straining healthcare systems and harming national economies, tourism and trade.