DHAKA : To ensure food safety, the government has taken multifaceted initiatives to set the scientific and quality standards of food obtained from various sources, including vegetables, rice, eggs, milk, fish and meat.

The food safety issue was clearly mentioned in the election manifesto of the incumbent BNP government, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. 

Bangladesh Safe Food Authority has strengthened the implementation of overall activities, including recruitment of manpower, establishment of laboratories.

The process of upgrading or updating the standards or guidelines of food set by any other organisations to the highest standard of safety has begun in line with the existing law. The work of setting standards and guidelines is underway for those foods for which no standards have been set yet.

Officials said the permissible levels of contamination, contaminating microorganisms, fertilizers, pesticide or insecticide residues, veterinary and fish disease drug residues, heavy metals, processing aids, food additives or preservatives, mycotoxins, antibiotics and growth promoters in food will be increased to the highest safe level. 

If the permissible levels of these elements are not specified in the existing law, it will be determined scientifically. 

In addition, the permissible levels of radioactivity in food will be determined, an accreditation policy will be formulated for the certification of safe food management systems in food businesses, and necessary measures will be taken and monitored to modernise food laboratories, they said.

If any errors or deviations are observed in the laboratories working to determine the adulteration and quality of food, the necessary advice will be provided to the concerned authorities immediately. 

In addition, it will determine the quality and testing methods of imported food products, determine the method of making claims related to the health and nutritional quality of packaged food, assess and analyse potential risks, and regularly exchange information with law enforcement agencies through food sampling and analysis.

The officials said the authority has taken some specific steps to achieve these goals. These include formulating and amending policies, formulating policies or regulations on food and nutrition safety, and providing scientific and technical assistance to the government in amending existing regulations.

Scientific information will be searched and analysed to identify the prevalence and spread of food-related health risks, biological risks, and food contamination.

Besides, it will inform the government, relevant agencies, and the public about the health and nutritional risks of food, and create nationwide public awareness about the quality of safe food.

The Bangladesh Safe Food Authority is also working to provide scientific advice to the government to address food crisis and establish a strong technical cooperation network for coordination among relevant agencies up to the field level.

The authority is working to bring the quality of imported and exported food to international standards by improving the existing standards of domestic food and sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards.

In addition, the government has taken initiatives to provide regular training on food safety for people involved in food business and to establish effective coordination among the activities of government, private and international organisations.

The officials confirmed that the authority will also formulate new rules as needed to fulfill the objectives of the law.

BFSA Secretary Srabasti Roy said ensuring safe food for all is an election pledge of the incumbent government. 

There is no alternative to safe and nutritious food in building a healthy and strong nation and that is why the government is working relentlessly to formulate laws and implement those, she said.

Roy said Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in food production. "Now our main goal is to ensure safe food for all."

Mentioning the various steps taken for food safety, she said regular surveillance and publicity campaigns are being conducted in markets, hotels-restaurants and food processing establishments. 

Besides, Roy said, food traders, street food vendors and hotel staff are being regularly made aware of how to prepare and store food in a hygienic manner. 

Moreover, an advanced laboratory network has been set up to detect food quality and adulteration, she said.

The BFSA secretary said consumers should also be aware while buying and consuming food and inform the authorities if they see any irregularities. 

She hoped that Bangladesh would become a country with 100 percent safe food with the combined efforts of all.

The BFSA is implementing a multi-dimensional action plan to ensure safe and quality food nationwide, BFSA member Md Anwarul Islam Sarker told BSS.
 
He said currently, food quality is being tested through 47 laboratories in the country and at the same time, regular campaigns are being conducted in coordination with BSTI and the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection to ensure food safety.

He said the authority is working continuously and relentlessly to implement the promises made in the election manifesto of the incumbent government. The process of hiring manpower in BFSA is underway to increase institutional capacity.

Sarkar said as part of the safe food movement, regular workshops, seminars, fairs, view-exchange meetings and the introduction of modern packaging are being held across the country.
 
In addition, initiatives have been taken to set up mini labs at the grassroots level to quickly verify the quality of food and works are also underway to create public awareness about harmful tannery waste, he said.

"We are not limited to legal enforcement alone, but rather give utmost importance to scientific methods and research. The presence of some harmful elements has been found among children in Narsingdi and Gazipur. Special activities have been taken in coordination with the world-renowned research organisation ICDDR, B to determine the root cause and address it," he said.

Sarkar said according to the government's election manifesto, everything that needs to be done to ensure food safety to build a healthy and strong nation is being implemented in phases.