Kohima, 7 June (MTNews): The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) celebrated the annual World Food Safety Day on 7 June at Kohima with a strong focus on raising awareness and encouraging action to prevent, detect, and manage food borne risks. This initiative plays a significant role in ensuring food security, human health, economic prosperity, and agricultural production.
Addressing the gathering, Kezhokhoto Savi, the President of NVCO, highlighted this year’s theme, “Food standards save lives” and drew attention to critical issues concerning food safety in the state. Savi expressed concern over the lack of a slaughterhouse in the state capital, which compromises the safety of meat consumed by the public. Furthermore, he stressed that the vegetables and fruits available in the market were not safe.
To tackle these challenges, Savi proposed the promotion of local street vendors who primarily bring 100% organic produce to the market. He encouraged villagers, especially those in rural areas, to cultivate vegetables and fruits on a larger scale to increase the availability of organic options and counter the prevalence of unsafe products in the market. Savi emphasized that this approach would not only enhance food safety but also contribute to the economic prosperity of the villagers.
Highlighting the importance of existing legislation, Savi mentioned the ‘Food Safety & Standard Act,’ which provides mechanisms such as food laboratories for testing suspected adulterated or unsafe food items, as well as mobile van laboratories. These facilities are available for public use and ensure food safety. Savi urged citizens of the state to make use of these resources to identify unscrupulous traders and safeguard their health.
The President of NVCO also cautioned against purchasing food items sold at throwaway prices in weekly markets, as they were often suspected to be expired or unsafe. He reminded everyone that health is wealth, emphasizing the need to prioritize health and well-being.