The 4th World Food Safety Day was observed yesterday. PNG commemorated this day through a seminar hosted by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and Department of Health.
The seminar covered all aspects of food safety in the country. The theme for this year is ‘Safer food. Better health’.
Acting Secretary for DAL, Dr. Nelson Simbiken, stated that Food safety is a critical issue in the country and DAL needs to be ensured that all food products that come from agriculture must follow standards to be shelved.
“From the agriculture perspective it’s not in our area in terms of what is sold but we want to answer that all our food products that comes from agriculture must follow standards and that is the reason why we are here, to ensure that we set up food standards for them to be sold on the shelves or and for us to export. We are working with FAO and WHO to have a committee that is setting out standards of food quality in the country and we are working on it now”
Food Safety Advisor for World Health Organization, Aaron Gwamate, spoke about strengthening National food control systems and safety challenges in the country.
