SAFE FOOD FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE

A key factor affecting health is food safety. It has an impact on people’s ability to survive, be healthy, make a living, and be productive as well as, eventually, on entire civilizations. Foodborne illnesses are a major public health burden and problem on a global scale. In 2010, there were 175 000 fatalities in the South-East Asia region as a result of almost 150 million cases of foodborne illness. Of them, children under 5 years old accounted for 40% of the food-borne disease burden. The majority of malnutrition—about 50%—is not caused by a lack of food or a bad diet, but rather by inadequate water and sanitary conditions, as well as unsanitary habits that result in potentially fatal illnesses and infections like diarrhoea. Due to the abuse of antibiotics in both human and veterinary medicine, one of the largest concerns facing contemporary medicine right now is antimicrobial resistance. Beyond the conventional idea of what makes safe food, unsafe food is defined as food that can hurt due to harmful fats, a high energy density, or a high salt content. Non-communicable diseases are more likely to occur as a result. Since it contains infectious bacteria and viruses that can spread a number of foodborne illnesses, street food, which is extensively consumed across the country, frequently poses a health risk. As food safety standards are being questioned, there has been a rise in reports of food poisoning across the nation. Unsafe food not only causes immediate injury but also starts a vicious cycle of foodborne illnesses that can be fatal. A medical publication reports that drinking tainted water and food causes nearly 2 million fatalities in India each year. In Southeast Asia, including India, food-borne illnesses are a primary cause of death, and more than 40% of those cases are documented in children under the age of five, according to World Health Organization (WHO) figures. This emphasizes the requirement for stakeholder involvement and the necessity for an all-encompassing strategy to assure food safety, encompassing health, sanitation, and food security. Hazardous food habits are alarmingly prevalent in homes in India at 13.2%. Numerous laws that keep an eye on licenses, permits, and sanitation concerns govern the food business in the nation. Without a doubt, there needs to be a public health campaign that combines consumer awareness with public health surveillance for foodborne illnesses and dangerous food. In India, the food sector is governed by a number of laws that keep an eye on sanitation, licensing, and permission concerns. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is operated by the government, keep an eye on and controls the production, manufacture, storage, and market distribution of food. Despite the existence of a monitoring organization, widespread public awareness is necessary. The epidemic has brought attention to the ongoing problem of food adulteration. According to FSSAI data, one in four food samples tested by the nodal agency over the past five years on average has not met the criteria.

Implementing food safety measures is a herculean task because of these problems and ongoing infrastructural and supply chain problems. The epidemic made clear the importance of maintaining attention on food security, safety, and health. To ensure safe food for a healthy future, it is important to ensure good agricultural practices, abide by food safety standards and protocols during manufacturing, processing, storage, and transportation, integrate infrastructure and supply chains, and educate stakeholders from across the industry and consumers about food safety.