A Consumer Scientist at Purdue University, Nigeria, Bukade Adesina, has stressed the need for integration of nutrition and food safety education in basic school curricula.
He argued that teaching children, from an early age, about balanced diets, and safe food handling will engender lifelong habits that will improve health outcomes.
He stressed that the campaign for food safety education from the cradle of human existence was expedient as foodborne illnesses kill no fewer than 200,000 Nigerians annually.
“Food safety is a major challenge that requires urgent attention. Unsafe food handling, poor storage systems, and contamination from substances like aflatoxins remain widespread. “Foodborne illnesses kill about 200,000 Nigerians annually according to the World Health Organisation. Aflatoxin contamination in staple foods such as maize and groundnuts poses serious health risks, while inadequate regulation of food imports worsens the situation.
“Many Nigerians do not fully understand the nutritional value of foods, how to prepare them safely, or how to store them to prevent contamination. Without education, efforts to improve nutrition and food safety will be ineffective.
“To address this, nutrition and food safety education should be integrated into school curricula. Teaching children about balanced diets and safe food handling from an early age will create lifelong habits that improve health outcomes,” he said. He noted that the challenge of food safety may be due to a lack of the requisite education.
Furthermore, Adesina called on relevant regulatory agencies to enforce regulations on food safety in the interest of public health, food security and Nigeria’s food competitiveness in the global market. “To compete in the global market, we must ensure our food safety standards meet international regulations,” he explains. Strengthening NAFDAC and other regulatory agencies is crucial to enforcing stricter food safety measures.
“A major obstacle in tackling these issues is the lack of public awareness.
“Many Nigerians do not fully understand the nutritional value of foods, how to prepare them safely, or how to store them to prevent contamination. Without education, efforts to improve nutrition and food safety will be ineffective,” Adesina said.
He also called for the training of smallholder farmers on safe agricultural practices as well as supporting them to embrace better storage technologies that can improve food safety. He tasked community leaders, influential figures, and well-meaning individuals with public awareness campaigns on food safety and nutrition. “Messages must be culturally relevant and tailored to different communities. Community leaders, influencers, and celebrities can play a key role in spreading these messages effectively.
“Investing in fortified foods and biofortified crops, such as orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, is another viable solution.
“We need to ensure that fortified foods are affordable and accessible, especially to vulnerable populations. Supporting smallholder farmers with training on safe agricultural practices and better storage technologies can also help improve food safety,” he said.
