THE ROLES OF CONSUMERS IN FOOD SAFETY

What is food safety?

Food Safety is the concept of handling, preparing, storing, and consuming foods in ways that best reduce the risk of individuals becoming sick. Its principles generally aim at preventing foods from becoming contaminated and causing food poisoning. Ensuring food safety is a shared responsibility among governments, producers, processors, distributors, retailers, and consumers. In the food supply chain, every component plays a major role in ensuring food safety.

What is a food supply chain?

A food supply chain is a sequence through which food moves systematically from producers (farmers) to processors to distributors to retailers and then to consumers who are the end users. 

Who is a Consumer?: A consumer is a person who purchases goods and services for personal use. So you and I are consumers of all kinds of food products in the market. You may wonder if consumers have a role to play in ensuring food safety. The answer is yes, we do. Consumers have a large and critical role in an effective food system. In fact, the resultant food-safe nation is also dependent on the activities and behavior of the consumers in the food chain. For a country to be food-safe there is a need for the effective participation of all the members of the food supply chain. It is therefore critical that consumers understand and get acquainted with all good consumer practices to play their roles effectively and engender a healthy society. 

Source: Google 

To become a critical consumer, you must ensure the following:

• Keep everything clean while preparing meals. Wash hands, kitchen surfaces, dishes, and utensils before and after preparing each food item with soap and water. Proper hygiene is important to prevent food poisoning.
• Ensure that foods are cooked thoroughly to safe temperatures. Poultry meat, beef, pork, seafood, and egg dishes must be cooked adequately.
• Don't cross-contaminate. Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods when shopping and storing them in your refrigerator. Use one cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and a separate one for other food. Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood unless the plate has been thoroughly cleaned.
• Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers within 2 hours. 
• While hanging out, ensure you check-in to a hygiene-conscious restaurant and request your food to be microwaved or served hot.
• Buy fresh and undamaged fruits and vegetables; store properly to prevent rodents attack and wash thoroughly with sufficient water before consumption. 
• Store foodstuffs properly in the storeroom and prevent rodents and insects from attacking them by keeping the environment clean.
• When purchasing a packaged product, study the food label. Correctly following the information provided on food labels (such as expiry dates, handling instructions, and allergy warnings) can help consumers prevent unnecessary food-borne illnesses and allergic reactions.

                                           Source: Google 

• Clean the top of the food container before opening it. After opening, inspect the product. Do not use products that are discolored, moldy, or have an off odor.
• Do not use canned products when the containers are rusted. If you have questions about a product, do not taste the product to determine if it is safe.
• Foods that come in packages, cans, and jars become high-risk foods once opened and should be handled and stored immediately in the refrigerator. 
• Carefully examine all food product packaging. Be aware of the normal appearance of food containers.  By doing so, you'll be more likely to notice if an outer seal or wrapper is missing. Compare a suspect container with others on the shelf.
• Consumers must pay attention to the directions of their country's food regulatory agencies especially when foods are recalled. When food products are recalled, the regulatory agency notifies the public in different ways such as through local and national newspapers, television, and radio so that information can be made available to consumers. 
• Do not consume any recalled product in your possession; instead, return it to the place of purchase and if you become ill from a recalled product, contact a physician.
• Store canned foods and other shelf-stable products in a cool and dry place. 
• Ensure a joint responsibility with regulatory bodies in your country of residence to rid society of fake and unwholesome food products by making complaints to the agency on regulated products that fall below standard. For Nigerians, simply reach out to the NAFDAC for complaints at +234909-763-0506, +234909-763-0507, reforms@nafdac.gov.ng or fill a form through this link https://www.nafdac.gov.ng/about-nafdac/contact-nafdac/complaints-and-enquiries/.

Not all consumers understand the roles they must play in food safety and in one way have ignorantly been affected. Foodborne illnesses are burdens on public health and contribute significantly to the cost of health care. They may lead to long-lasting disability and death. The good news is that they are preventable but requires conscious and diligent adoption and implementation of the good consumer practices mentioned above in our everyday life. Therefore, take charge of your health and prevent food poisoning by adopting these healthy food plans.

Safe Food for All