Safe food, along with nutrition, is a prerequisite to ensure food safety and Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) has come up with the “Family Guideline Related to Food Safety” to create food preparation awareness among families in this regard.

The details of the guideline were shared and discussed during a seminar, organised by BFSA, in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder was the chief guest and Food Secretary Md Ismiel Hossain was the special guest at the event, which was presided by BASF Chairman Md Abdul Kayowm Sarker.

The guideline, which was unveiled as a booklet by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on December 12, guides how to cook food healthily while maintaining nutritional values, rules for buying foods from kitchen markets, what type of food should and should not be bought, what type food should and should not be eaten, etc.

It contains guidance on buying raw food and packaged food, stocking food, how long food should be kept in the fridge and how to keep them. It also has a list of balanced food and an age-wise food intake list.

BFSA has taken an initiative to distribute the guideline booklet among every family around the country in phases.

At least 1,00,000 copies have already been distributed in various districts until December 31. BFSA plans to distribute  1 million more copies this year with private assistance.

Food Secretary Ismiel said it is important to create awareness through mass media and social media to reach the guideline to every household.

Upazila chairman, upazila nirbahi officer and upazila food officer will be the focal point in distributing the guideline as soon as possible, he added.

Links to the PDF version of this guideline are also available on various government websites. However, the information provided in it is subject to correction and modification. After reading it, people can share their opinion about it with the authorities as well.

Addressing Tuesday’s event, the food minister said, “One can live a healthy life by having a balanced diet. Everything cannot be implemented by law, mass awareness is needed. If you are aware, implementation of the law is much easier.”

He said that if schools and mosques teach students and general people about safe foods and drugs even for five minutes every day, it will be very beneficial.

What the guideline says
According to the guideline, when buying fruits and vegetables, people should buy locally-sourced, fresh, seasonal and whole products.

Clean, fresh, green and colourful vegetables are better. While buying fruits, one should see whether they are fresh, perfect and clean. If yes, one should go for the juicy fruits.

Fruits and vegetables that ripen quickly or are gooey, black-spotted or bruised should be avoided. Vegetables that are dry or discoloured, have yellowing leaves or are smelly should be avoided too.

One should always buy and eat clean and perfectly shelled eggs. One should not buy eggs with discoloured and dirty or broken shells, nor the ones that have blood stains on the shells or a bad smell. Eggs that float in water should not be bought and consumed as well.

One should buy intact fish with visible bright and pink gills and clear eyes. Any fish that does not meet these conditions should be avoided, says the guideline.

When it comes to buying chicken and any type of meat, one should go for meat with pink colour, less bone and less or no fat. While buying processed and packaged meat, the expiry date and refrigeration temperature must be checked.

When it comes to milk, people should buy BSTI-approved pasteurised milk and dairy products from trusted and renowned companies. While buying packaged milk or dairy products, the manufacture and expiry dates must be checked.

All food items should be kept in separate packets when refrigerated.