Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has said consumers have the first obligation to determine and check the quality and safety of food to avoid consuming contaminated food.
The remarks were given by the Acting TBS Director General, Mr Johannes Maganga on Tuesday where Tanzania joined the global community to commemorate the World Food Safety Day.
“Consumers have the first and foremost responsibility of ensuring that food consumed is safe despite the efforts made remind all stakeholders the need to observe food safety standards,” he said.
He said it was important that the environment for selling food is clean. When unsafe food is consumed, there is a greater chance of developing diseases in the human body.
He said food can be contaminated by many things including pathogens, poisonous chemicals, hard stones, bones and other garbage.
“Consumers have the right to get correct information in the product labels including dates of manufacturers and expiry to help them make right decision to buy and consume the product,” he said.
“When you go to the market to buy maize, must make sure that they are of high quality. This applies to all food items that before you decide to buy must make sure that they are in good condition including the facilities where they are conserved,”
For industrial food items he said consumers are required to read carefully the information provided by checking the date of manufacturing and expiry.
It is also true for those going to eat in restaurants that they should make sure the environment for which food is prepared is safe for their health.
Mr Maganga maintaining food safety is not a one-man show but should involve stakeholders’ contribution in the whole production chain.
He said TBS prepares standards for food items, inspect industries, markets as well as import food items so that they meet the required health standards.
He said the Food Safety Day is commemorated to remind stakeholders the critical role in ensuring that food stays safe at every stage of the food chain from production to harvest, processing, storage, distribution, all the way to preparation and consumption.
He said everyone has the right to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. Still today, almost one in ten people in the world fall ill after eating contaminated food. When food is not safe, children cannot learn, adults cannot work.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), unsafe food limits trade because where food is not safe, there can be no food security and in a world where the food supply chain has become more complex, any adverse food safety incident has a negative impact on public health, trade and the economy.