Food Safety Let consumers drive it

Food safety is a major public health concern. Food safety includes adequate handling, preparation and storage of food to prevent food-borne illnesses. Constant efforts have been made by the government, stakeholders, scientists, industrialists, epidemiologists and public health workers to ensure optimum handling of food. At the same time, as much as consumers have a right to expect that the foods they purchase and consume will be safe and of high quality, they also have a duty to follow some simple measures to avoid food-borne diseases. They have everything to gain by being aware of the pros and cons associated with food/food types as well as basic regulations regarding labelling and various acceptability parameters.

For instance, labelling enables consumers to make informed decisions and is intended for careful reading and understanding. It identifies the manufacturer and provides instructions for safe and effective use of the product, as well as provides information about contents, ingredients, health and safety features, preparation and storage.

Why is Consumer Participation Essential?

Food is one of our basic needs and outbreaks of food-borne illnesses can be reduced if consumers