April 7th is World Health Day. WHO (World Health Organization) has designated Food Safety as the topic for world health day 2015. Approximately, over 2 million deaths occur every year because of eating contaminated food and drinking contaminated water. Over 200 diseases are because by harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals found in unsafe food.

Unsafe food causes diarrhea, liver problems, and in some instances leads to serious problems like brain infection, kidney failure, etc. Among the vulnerable population, it leads to malnutrition. Food can get contaminated at any point of production or distribution, however, a large proportion of foodborne disease incidents are caused by improper preparation and handling of food at home, in restaurants, and in markets. It is important to adopt basic hygiene practices of separating raw from cooked food, washing hands, and raw vegetables thoroughly before eating and when preparing food.

5 Keys of Food Safety

WHO’s five keys to safer food offer practical guidance to sellers and consumers for handling and preparing food:

• Keep Clean
• Separate raw and cooked food
• Cook food thoroughly
• Keep food at safe temperatures
• Use safe water and raw materials