By Lanre Omotoso
As parts of activities to commemorate this year’s World Food Safety Day, Nigerians have been urged to guide against acts that often lead to foodborne diseases such as diarrhoea and cancers.
A lecturer in the department of Animal Science, Ekiti State University, Professor Jacob Ogunlade gave the advice in an interview with Radio Nigeria in Ado-Ekiti.
Professor Ogunlade identified factors responsible for foodborne diseases to include inappropriate use of agro-chemicals, residue of veterinary drugs in animals and environmental contamination.
The Don also noted that food can be contaminated with parasites, viruses and bacteria through processing, transportation, storage and packaging.
He stressed that inability to keep to the withdrawal period of residues of agro-chemicals in plants and drugs in animals, may lead to food poisoning when crops, milk, eggs and meat derived from such processes are consumed.
The animal scientist stressed that to avoid foodborne crisis, food must be prepared under hygienic environment, must be cooked thoroughly, clean water must be used for cooking as well as proper washing of fruits and vegetables before consumption.
World Food Safety Day is celebrated every June 7 to prevent over one point six million people from falling sick daily due to unsafe food as well as guiding against daily death of three hundred and forty Children under the age of five due to preventable food borne diseases, and the theme for this year is “Food standards save lives”.
