Food safety talks

FOOD-RELATED diseases can have serious consequences on human and animal health and also have a significant economic impact as disease outbreaks can lead to trade bans, loss of revenue and damage to a country’s reputation, says Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister Manoa Kamikamica.

He said this while opening the 16th Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Codex Committee for North America and South West Pacific (CCNASWP) meeting in Nadi yesterday.

“It has been found that an estimated 600 million — almost one in 10 people in the world — fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420,000 die every year,” Mr Kamikamica highlighted.

“Children under five years of age carry 40 per cent of the foodborne disease burden, with 125,000 deaths every year.

“Furthermore, $US110 billion ($F237b) is lost each year in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe food in low and middle-income countries.”

Mr Kamikamica said rapid changes in trade, travel and commerce, called for an international standardsetting system that was able to respond more quickly to new situations.

He also informed participants that since the trade, nutrition and food safety elements are so closely connected, closer collaboration between different sectors and interactions between the codex and other global players were essential.

He also urged experts to reflect on their trajectory and consider how the committee could address challenges and engage stakeholders for their valuable inputs on food safety issues.