Current Affairs World Food Safety Day 2020 – Date, Theme & Significance

World Food Safety Day 2020 – Date, Theme & Significance

602

Human beings are dependent on a few basic needs for living. Food (including water), cloth and shelter are the minimum requirements of a person for a decent standard of life.
Food is a necessity; throughout history, food has acted as a catalyst for societal transformation, development and expansion. But now, food safety is becoming an important issue.
The way in which food is produced, stored, handled and consumed affects the safety of our food. The absence of food safety may harm the health of consumers. Hence, to mark the importance of food safety, the World Food Safety Day is celebrated every year.
The principles of food safety aim to prevent food from becoming contaminated and causing food poisoning.
The United Nations (UN) has assigned two of its agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to lead efforts in promoting food safety around the world.
In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 7 as the World Food Safety Day. June 7, 2019, marks the first anniversary of World Food Safety Day and the theme for World Food Safety Day 2019 was ‘Food Safety, everyone’s business’.
World Food Safety Day is observed on June 7 to draw global attention to the health consequences of contaminated food and water.
Through this day, WHO pursues its efforts to mainstream food safety in the public agenda and reduce the burden of food-borne diseases globally.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), under the theme ‘Food safety, everyone’s business’, the action-oriented campaign will promote global food safety awareness and call upon countries and decision-makers, the private sector, civil society, UN organizations and the general public to take action.
Food safety is a shared responsibility in which everybody has a role to play. It is our duty to ensure that the food we consume is safe and will not cause damages to our health.

The United Nations General Assembly designated June 8 as World Oceans Day. The first World Oceans Day was declared in Rio de Janeiro at the Global Forum on June 8, 1992.
According to a study by World Oceans Day, these are the most found items on beach-cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic bottles, bottle caps, plastic straws, and plastic bags.
“Food safety is key to achieving several of the Sustainable Development Goals and World Food Safety Day brings it into the spotlight, to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks. Safe food contributes to economic prosperity, boosting agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development,” according to a WHO report.