We are what we eat. We rely on food for nourishment, health, development, and mental health. Thus it is of the greatest importance to ensure the food we eat is clean and pure. There are myriad environmental contaminants that plague human dietary sources. These may be fertilizer runoffs, chemical effluents, heavy metals in the water, microbes, remains of dead rodents, bugs etc. The consumption of these materials could be very detrimental to human health. The heavy metals in water could cause developmental problems in children and impact pregnancies negatively. Fluoride ions in water have been proven to cause neurological defects in children. Microbes may cause dysentery and cholera. Fertilizer residues in crops can be carcinogenic, hence should be avoided under all circumstances. The World Health Organisation observes the seventh of June as World Food Safety Day, to draw attention to and mobilize action to detect, prevent, and manage foodborne risks. The theme for the year 2022 is Safer Food, Better Health. One in ten people globally is affected by foodborne diseases. It is imperative for policymakers in India and abroad to change food systems to reduce and preferably eliminate the risks from contaminants. Human productivity depends on the quality of food we consume. Agricultural prosperity too is at peril due to these risks. Better industrial practices and waste management systems should be designed and put in place to ensure that inorganic substances do not find their way into food via the environment. The poor are the most vulnerable to inedibly contaminated food. It is extremely important to mitigate this issue. The Kerala Academy of Pharmacy trains future pharmacologists to be aware of the role food plays in human health and takes the need for food safety very seriously.
