"On World Health Day, let us all ask: how safe is our food?" said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message on the day, noting that unsafe food is a largely under-reported and often over looked global problem.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), unsafe food can cause more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhea to cancers, and poses major economic risks against farmers and the food industry.
"Changes to the way food is produced, distributed and consumed, the emergence of resistant bacteria, and increases in travel and trade make it difficult to manage pathogens and contaminants once they are in our food supply," Ban said.
He also noted that with the food supply chain stretching around the world, the need to strengthen food safety systems within and among countries is becoming more critical.
World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 to mark the anniversary of the founding of the WHO in 1948.
By Ruchi Singh
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
