The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged Nigerians to refrain from storing cooked food in the refrigerator for more than three days.
NAFDAC Director General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the warning when she spoke at the 2024 World Food Safety Day with the theme: ‘Food Safety: Prepare for the unexpected.
’According to her, 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.
Adeyeye emphasised that food safety is a collective responsibility, and everyone, from producers to consumers, needs to play their part to ensure that the food we eat is safe.
According to the DG in a statement by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola on Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that globally, one in 10 people fall ill, and 420,000 die each year due to consuming contaminated food.
This results in the loss of 33 million healthy life years, with children under five and other vulnerable groups in poorer regions being disproportionately affected.
