World Food Day and FAO’s (Food and Agriculture Organization) 75th Anniversary are celebrated today, the 16th of October 2020.
But what reasons would we have to celebrate World Food Day in 2020, in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic?
Perhaps this year, on World Food Day, we should remember how important the role of food is in our lives.
Due to pandemic restrictions we spent more time with our families, we cooked more and realized how careful we must be in regards to food preparation and food storage in kitchens in order to not endanger neither our health nor our family members’ health.
Perhaps, with more time at our disposal, we now have a better understanding of what food safety means and how important it is that pathogens should not be associated with the food we eat.
On this special day we should celebrate both those who work in farms, in the food industry, in grocery stores, regardless of their size, in food transportation and in public catering, because they have ensured the same diversity of food on our tables and the food safety as in ordinary times, and also those who cook for us at home: mothers, fathers, grandmothers, friends.
Green corridors, the blue planet and safe food should remain our priority even after these times are over.
Consumers are part of the food chain and, consequently, food safety is based on their choices, the way they follow the rules of hygiene and food preparation and how they transport and store food.
Educating consumers to better understand the hazards associated with food, good food preparation practices, and avoiding food waste represents a type of responsible action that must be encouraged in order to have reasons to celebrate on the 16th of October the World Food Day.
Happy birthday to all those who contribute to the production, marketing and preparation of food, to those in the support, research and education sectors, who work for clean, safe, sustainable, nutritionally balanced food, but also to those who prepare for our meals, day by day or occasionally, starting with breakfast and snacks, and continuing with lunch and dinner.