he World Food Safety Day calls for action to improve food quality, storage, accidental/ incidental exposure to food poisoning and prevention of foodborne diseases. The UN SDG-3 (good health and wellbeing) and SDG-6 (clean water and sanitation) are directly linked to the provision of safe food and prevention of foodborne illnesses. The WHO and the FAO observe June 7 for joint national, regional and global action for food safety through awareness, improving supply chain and transformation of agri-food systems.

The nutrition and hunger situation remain serious in Pakistan. The 2024 Global Hunger Index (109/ 127) by UN World Food Programme and Fill the Nutrient Gap reports are daunting. Children less than five years of age are more vulnerable to diseases caused by unsafe food and are at higher risk.

Over 200 diseases are caused by contaminated food. About 600 million people worldwide are affected a year. South Asia and Africa have higher rates and risk of food- and water-borne diseases and mortalities. The economic burden for low- and middle-income countries is estimated at $110 billion. Environmental factors (floods, global warming) and changing climate are directly linked with spoilage and contamination of perishable food items that is further aggravated due to poor food storage practices in Pakistan.

Modern intensive agriculture relies heavily on the use of chemicals such as fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides and growth regulators. While safe-use limits are prescribed, practices are often excessive and beyond maximum residue limit. The residual effects of the chemicals are a direct threat to human health and environments. Many a crop is irrigated with untreated waste water leading to the accumulation of heavy metals and biological contaminants in the food chain.

Pakistan is the fifth largest milk producing country and the poultry/ livestock industry is its second biggest economic pillar. Export of our animal-origin products is restricted due to endemic foot and mouth disease, food contamination and drug/ toxins residues in meat and milk.

Animal feed ingredients of livestock and poultry are also known to carry unwanted growth hormones and antibiotics. Use of milk letting injections is a scourge. Milk is a highly perishable food, yet it is transported and sold ‘loose,’ without a proper cool chain, pasteurisation and packaging. Use of formalin and urea as preservatives in milk is a horrible malpractice.

Food can be contaminated by microbes (salmonella, e. coli, staphylococcus, clostridium, vibrio, gastroenteritis viruses); microbial toxins (shiga, mycotoxins); food adulterants such as pesticides, insecticides, drug residues, heavy metals, hormones and chemicals; food colours; and preservatives. Processed food often includes high sugar and salt contents and chemical preservatives.

Food safety challenge does not stop at the farm gate. The supply chain from ‘farm to fork’ has many hazards. This includes post-harvest practices, storage, transportation and processing. In addition to water and chemicals, soil health impacts the food and feed quality of the crops. Poor hygiene conditions in food factories and restaurants are a common cause of concern. Together, food safety is a ‘one health’ challenge.

Insect pests such as grain borers and weevils penetrate the grain kernel, resulting in accumulation of moisture which encourages growth of fungi. The production of mycotoxins by fungi such as fusarium spp, aspergilus and penicillium results in quality loss. Besides storage issues of staple wheat, export of rice originating from Pakistan is prone to the risk of trade barriers owing to interception of quarantine pests (Khapra beetle) at entry ports of importing countries.

Mycotoxin contamination in stored wheat and rice is a major challenge to food safety. Grains have high vulnerability to fungal infestation, particularly under warm and humid conditions. A range of mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON) and ochratoxin A, compromise food quality. In wheat, fusarium is a common cereal infection producing DON and ZEA. Rice is more vulnerable to aflatoxin B1, produced by aspergillus flavus. Given the severity of the issue, there is a dire need for stricter mycotoxin monitoring systems and awareness campaigns.

Mexico has maintained a ban on Pakistani rice imports since 2013 due to Khapra beetle infestation. In July 2023, a Mexican delegation visited Pakistan to inspect rice establishments, indicating potential for lifting the ban pending satisfactory phytosanitary compliance. Rice shipments have also been returned from Europe and Russia. Maize shipments to China and Vietnam were returned due to mycotoxins found in the grains caused by poor drying of grains infested with fungi. Chemicals found above MRL by EU included: tricyclazole, chlorpyrifos-ethyl, neonicotinoids, acetamiprid, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam.

The challenge of safe and healthy food includes smuggling of synthetic milk powder, un-identified meat and sub-standard value-added food products. The animal and plant quarantine departments have failed to stem the increasing interception at export destinations. Dual standards of food quality for export and inland use for community need to be addressed.

Inadequate control, food fraud, adulteration, selling of raw food by street vendors are leading factors. Selling of raw or non-processed milk, meat, fruits, vegetables and long-term stored frozen food items are hazardous and lead to daily food-associated incidents. Lives are at risk of cancers, metabolic diseases, stunting and wasting.

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and Codex Alimentarius (food code) are global food quality standards for food safety, hygiene and healthy lives. However, the incorporation and implementation of HACCP and food code in our food system is challenging. The Punjab Food Authority was established in 2011 to ensure food safety and hygiene to implement the Pure Food Rules and Food Quality Control. Other provinces followed the Punjab example.

The Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority has been established for forensic analysis of food products and adulterations. The Department of Plant Protection is a federal agency to control import and export of safe foods. The DPP is being revamped by combining plant and animal quarantine departments into the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority.

Improving systems is important. Equally important is education and capacity building of the stakeholders and awareness as a greater public cause. The BISP social protection can play a pivotal role in ensuring food safety and security in rural communities. The University of Agriculture, Faisalabad’s successful programme in human nutrition and dietetics has rolled out across the country to complement efforts for food safety, food services and quality enhancement programmes. The Pak-Korea Nutrition Centre of the UAF is promoting safe food school programme and outreaching communities in all provinces of Pakistan.

In light of the Food Safety: Science in Action theme of 2025, the following actionable recommendations can improve and sensitise an integrated community response:

n Improving global food safety nets and practices;

n Ensuring food safety at every stage of the food chain (production to consumer);

n Investing in foodborne disease surveillance data, policy and governance;

n Developing toolkits for risk assessment of food safety to detect, prevent and manage food-borne risks;

n Implementing traceability system in food chain;

n Preparedness, response and mitigation plan for food safety by holistic efforts;

n Improving consumer behaviour, food habits and adoption of WASH;

n Informed-decision making and capacity building of food professionals for food businesses;

n Awareness, advisory guidance and action to save lives through healthy and safe food provision;

n Tackling antimicrobial resistance and residues by One Health approach; and

n Improving national food control systems (quarantine, HACCP, Food Code), vaccination, water chlorination and cooking.

The Eid-ul Azha should remind us of the need to follow food safety practices, especially in the disposal of animal waste, organs and blood through public awareness and civic responsibility. The International Food Safety Authorities Network of the FAO/ WHO, comprising 189 countries, is committed to food safety implementation and management of foodborne risks through data, surveillance, exchange and governance. A transformation of agri-food system from productivity to nutrition-sensitive and safe and healthy food is needed to address the daunting challenge of food insecurity and foodborne ailments. Food diversification, my plate concept and hygienic practices should be educated from school to food business levels.

The writer is a former vice chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad