7th June 2024, Mumbai

World Food Safety Day was organized by the Post-Harvest Technology section of the FRHPHM Division at ICAR-CIFE, Mumbai, today. The National Agricultural Higher Education Project sponsored the program. World Food Safety Day is organized jointly by FAO/WHO/UN annually on 7th June after its initiation in 2019, to emphasize the significance of food safety in achieving sustainable development goals, especially those related to health, hunger, and sustainable agriculture. World Food Safety Day raises awareness of food safety issues, teaches people how to prevent illness through food safety, and encourages people to adopt more food-safe practices.

Addressing a hybrid mode National Webinar, Dr. Indrani Karunasagar, Director-Projects & DST-TEC, Nitte University, Mangalore, delivered a lecture on ‘Pertinent Issues in Food Safety & Hygiene’ emphasizing the significance of food safety, including seafood, common contaminants present in foods, and ways to avoid such contamination. She also highlighted different types of food-borne illnesses, as well as case studies and epidemiological details. The Webinar was followed by an educational exhibition, inaugurated by Dr. C.N. Ravishankar, Director  & Vice-Chancellor, ICAR-CIFE, and Dr. N.P. Sahu, Joint Director, ICAR-CIFE

Over 250 visitors attended an exhibition showcasing food-borne illnesses, outbreaks, unsafe foods, chemical contaminants, food-processing safety, and hygienic practices. The demonstration included tests for detecting adulterants in everyday foods like milk, ghee, honey, and artificially ripened fruits. The exhibition attracted students, scientific, technical, administrative staff, and the public, highlighting the importance of avoiding contamination and disease outbreaks in food production.

About 150 registered participants attended the webinar.

(Source: ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai)