The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised Nigerians against storing cooked food in the fridge beyond three days.
According to the Director General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, cooked food stored in the refrigerator for days is susceptible to contamination by disease-causing pathogens, key agents of foodborne diseases that can lead to death.
Mrs Adeyeye was quoted in a statement Tuesday signed by NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, at an event organised to commemorate the 2024 World Food Safety Day (WFSD).
This year’s global event is themed: “Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected.”
WHO had also recently advised that foods that have not been refrigerated properly due to power outages should be discarded.
According to WHO, perishable and cooked foods stored in a refrigerator after four hours without power are no longer safe for consumption.
NAFDAC DG, however, called on all stakeholders in the food supply chain to take deliberate actions to institute a food safety culture in their operations to mitigate the food hazards and risks that could compromise food safety.
She emphasised that everybody has a role to play, from the farm to the table, to ensure that the food prepared for consumption is safe and will not cause damage to the health.
‘’Let us all stay true to the statements ‘food safety is everyone’s business’ and ‘food safety is a shared responsibility,” she was quoted.
“As we celebrate this year’s World Food Safety Day. Working together, we will continue to strengthen our food safety system, ensuring its resilience, robustness and preparedness for the unexpected.’’
