The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), has commemorated the 2022 World Food Safety Day (WFSD), with a call on the public to contribute to making foods safer for better health.

About 600 million cases of food borne diseases are recorded annually, with approximately 1 in 10 people being affected and billions of dollars lost in productivity due to unsafe foods in low and middle-income countries including Ghana, according to the WHO (2010).

A statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the FDA has over the years, adopted various strategies and initiatives to promote food safety in Ghana such as the introduction of the new Street Food Vending Permit for street food vendors.

Innovative regulatory measures including, market surveillance, licensing of food production and preparation premises and Public Education, are employed by the FDA to ensure the safety of food consumed by the public, it added.

The statement said, as part of activities lined up for the 2022 WFSD celebrations, various stakeholders would be engaged in a number of programmes, highlighting their shared commitment to working towards safer food in order to secure better health for the consuming public.

“The 2022 WFSD will also draw the world’s attention to the implications of unsafe foods on our health,” the statement said.

The month-long activities to mark the 2022 WFSD celebrations will begin with rigorous media engagements and collaborative public education at markets, lorry stations and other public places with the NCCE.

“As part of the celebrations, the National Food Safety Policy will be launched, and the Management Committee of the Food Safety Emergency Response Plan (FoSERP) will also be inaugurated while cooking competition and innovative FDA registered food products will be exhibited as side events,” it outlined.

World Food Safety Day (WFSD) is marked on June 7, annually.

The Day is commemorated to encourage actions to prevent, detect and manage foodborne illnesses that contribute negatively to human health, food security and economic prosperity.

The theme for this year’s commemoration was; “Safer Food, Better Health.”

Other partners include; the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) of the United Nations and all stakeholders along the food chain.