Food safety key to achieve SDGs: Expert

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 10

The Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Community Science, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), celebrated the World Food Safety Day to raise awareness about the risks associated with unsafe food and to promote action to prevent, detect and manage food-borne diseases affecting food security, human health, economic prosperity and agricultural production.

The day was observed with designated theme “Food Standards Save Lives.”

Experts from Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, were invited to the technical session organised on the occasion.

Dr Kiranjot Sidhu, Dean, College of Community Science, appreciated the efforts of the department in collaborating with the FDA to generate awareness among the students. She suggested to hold such campaigns frequently to address issues related to food safety among the rural masses, campus residents and caretakers of canteens and messes on campus.

Manoj Khosla, Joint Commissioner (Food Safety), Punjab, deliberated on “Safe Food and Healthy Diet - A Way Forward to Tandrust Punjab”. He said keeping food safe is a complex process that starts on the farm and ends with the ultimate consumer. All stages of food chain, from production, harvest and storage to preparation and consumption must be considered, he added.

Dr Ripudaman Kaur, Designated Officer (Food Safety); and Food Safety Officers Satwinder Singh, Amandeep Singh, Robin Kumar and Lovedeep Singh also interacted with the students. They talked to the students about their responsibilities. Further, the speakers motivated the students to explore the field of food safety.

Dr Kiran Grover, Head of the Department of Food and Nutrition, said food safety is key to achieve various sustainable development goals.

“Everyone should have access to safe, nutritious and adequate food to lead an active and healthy life. Food safety is the shared responsibility of governments, food industries, producers and consumers. We all can play an important role in making sure that our food is safe,” she stated.

More than 150 students attended the event and found the interactive session very informative, useful and motivating.

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