Maria Trad – Mtv
If we are sad, we eat. If we are happy, we gather around the table. As soon as we feel stressed, we turn to food. Food remains a refuge and a means of comfort and happiness. But, unfortunately, this haven may turn into a source of danger.
With every heat wave, food turns from a nutritional substance into a “poison” that threatens our lives. Measures are being taken, restrictions are being imposed, but the danger remains amid “timid” attempts by the state to raise awareness… So what do we eat in Lebanon?
In an interview with the MTV website, Elie Awad, head of the Food Safety Authority, confirmed that “cases of food poisoning have begun to rise in the recent period as a result of rising temperatures, in addition to the electricity crisis that is prompting many to legalize its use, which directly affects the methods of preserving food, whether in homes or restaurants,” stressing that “it is necessary for the Lebanese, especially the owners of restaurants and food establishments, to pay attention to this issue, because it is considered one of the most prominent reasons for the increase in cases of poisoning.”
Awad regrets that “oversight is still timid,” noting that the Authority has been intensifying its oversight rounds for weeks, but what is required is to redouble efforts, and for the ministers concerned with food safety to keep pace with the Authority’s work, because protecting the health of citizens is a shared responsibility. He pointed out that “a large number of foods become more vulnerable to spoilage during the summer, most notably meat, sweets, cream, and ice cream, in addition to chicken and all products that contain milk.”
He explains, “Meat is one of the most sensitive foodstuffs, as it has a short shelf life, and not cleaning meat grinding machines properly leads to the transfer of germs from one batch of meat to another, which increases the risk of contamination.” As for chicken, he warns against “some wrong practices in restaurants, where the chicken is cooked and then removed from the heat source to be put back in later, which provides a suitable environment for bacteria to multiply and cause cases of food poisoning,” noting that “some ice cream shops resort to rationing electricity, which leads to the ice cream melting and then refreezing, which is a process that poses a major health risk.”
The matter is not limited to these items, as he believes that “high humidity during the summer may also lead to the growth of fungi inside nuts, seeds, and spices, which secrete the toxic substance aflatoxin, which is considered one of the most dangerous food contaminants,” explaining that “the foods that cause poisoning are not limited to mayonnaise or dairy and cheese, but rather include every food that is not preserved, transported, or transported.” “It is prepared according to health standards.”
He says: “Food safety does not start in the restaurant or supermarket, but rather from the farm all the way to the consumer’s table. The use of internationally banned agricultural pesticides that enter Lebanon through smuggling, in addition to the use of fertilizers that do not meet specifications, constitutes a direct threat to public health,” considering that “a large percentage of chronic diseases in Lebanon, including cancer, are linked to the use of pesticides that are no longer internationally recognized,” calling on the relevant ministries to Intensifying guidance and awareness campaigns for farmers and citizens.
Awad also calls for “shedding light on the phenomenon of smuggling food products,” noting that “some people transport milk, chicken, and other things in cars that are not equipped for refrigerated transportation, which exposes these products to damage before they reach the consumer.”
He concludes by emphasizing that, “Unfortunately, the state does not yet provide the basic capabilities for effective control, but it is necessary for the food safety issue to become a national priority. What is required is proactive oversight that protects the citizen before harm occurs, not subsequent oversight that comes after cases of poisoning are recorded, and this is what we always emphasize in the Food Safety Authority.”
Between internationally banned pesticides, products smuggled in unrefrigerated cars, and oversight that is still below the required level, the question that accompanies every Lebanese to his table remains: What do we eat?
