NAFDAC highlights dangers of long-term refrigeration of cooked food

• Prof. Moji Adeyeye, Director General of NAFDAC, advised Nigerians against storing cooked food in refrigerators for more than three days due to contamination risks from pathogens
• This warning aligns with the 2024 World Food Safety Day theme, emphasising collective responsibility in ensuring food safety
• WHO reports that unsafe food causes 600 million illnesses and 420,000 deaths annually, highlighting the critical need for robust food safety practice

The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Moji Adeyeye, has advised Nigerians to avoid storing cooked food in refrigerators for more than three days.

Adeyeye emphasised that cooked food kept for extended periods is prone to contamination by disease-causing pathogens, which are key agents of foodborne diseases that can be fatal.

Cooling is a common preservative measure known to most Nigerians. Image: Fb/NAFDAC
Source: Original

This warning was conveyed in a statement on Tuesday, signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola.

The statement was part of NAFDAC's activities commemorating the 2024 World Food Safety Day, themed "Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected."

The World Food Safety Day, celebrated annually on June 7, was established by the United Nations General Assembly task force in 2018.

Its purpose is to raise awareness and encourage efforts to prevent, detect, and address public health risks associated with unsafe food.

“She urged Nigerians to refrain from storing cooked food in the refrigerator for more than three days, warning that cooked food stored in the refrigerator for days is susceptible to contamination by disease-causing pathogens, key agents of foodborne diseases that can lead to death,” the statement read.

Prof. Adeyeye highlighted the importance of food safety not only for public health but also as a critical factor for economic development and food security.

She called on all stakeholders in the food supply chain to adopt and implement a robust food safety culture to mitigate food hazards and risks that could compromise food safety.

“Let us all stay true to the statements ‘food safety is everyone’s business’ and ‘food safety is a shared responsibility’ as we celebrate this year’s World Food Safety Day. Working together, we will continue to strengthen our food safety system, ensuring its resilience, robustness, and preparedness for the unexpected,” she said.

Many die of food poisoning annually

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 600 million people – nearly one in 10 globally – fall ill after consuming contaminated food, with 420,000 deaths annually.

This results in the loss of 33 million healthy life years. WHO also reported that unsafe food leads to $110 billion in productivity losses and medical expenses in low- and middle-income countries each year.

The Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Mrs. Eva Edwards, added that foodborne diseases, while costly, are preventable.

WHO issues warning on food safety during power outages

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) had issued a warning about the dangers of consuming food exposed to temperatures above 5 °C (41 °F) for more than two hours, particularly during power outages.

The advisory, released in commemoration of the 2024 World Food Safety Day, emphasises discarding perishable items after four hours without power.

Source: Legit.ng