“If it is not safe, it is not food” – Guatemala celebrates World Food Safety Day

Guatemala joins the world in celebrating World Food Safety with a webinar on food safety, Covid-19 and the related priorities in the Latin American region.

The webinar promoted by the National Codex Committee, represented by Otto Maldonado and Nelson Ruano, was opened by the Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Guilherme da Costa, who explained how, in the context of the pandemic caused by Covid-19, "it is of utmost importance that food remains safe. In this regard, Codex standards ensure that food is safe and of good quality and can be traded safely”.

Marisa Caipo of the FAO regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean, stressed the importance of effective participation of the different actors in the food supply chain to ensure safe food, recommending to apply and implement best practices to ensure food hygiene. Marco Vigilato of PANAFTOSA reiterated the concept, adding that "if food is not safe, it is not food”.

The outgoing Coordinator of FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean, Diego Varela, highlighted the central role of food safety in the Region adding that "our work on food safety reflects society's commitment to promoting people's access to safe and nutritious food". The webinar was closed by the speech of the new Coordinator of the Region, Rommel Betancourt, who underlined the fundamental importance, in a rapidly evolving food system, of including and informing consumers, stressing that "food safety is everyone's responsibility, everyone has an important role to play in maintaining food safe. To nourish ourselves well is to consume healthy and safe food".