Dubai Municipality official skydives with food safety message.

Compiled by Gulf News, composed by Maryem Al Delaimi

Provides consumer ideas and expert recommendations for making food safety a priority.

Dubai: A Dubai Municipality official has carried the message of food safety "sky-high" by skydiving to celebrate World Food Safety Day-2022.

In a post titled "Make food safety a priority," which he shared on LinkedIn today, food safety specialist Bobby Krishna took a major leap, which he stated "will increase confidence in our food supply chain."

Krishna also shared a video of himself skydiving while wearing a T-shirt that read, "I Love Food Safety." It was held in honor of World Food Safety Day, which was marked on June 7.

“Food safety rarely ‘trends’ on the internet and when it does, it’s mostly driven by panic and fear,” said Bobby, who has worked for the local body's Food Safety Department for over 17 years. Despite substantial advances in science and technology, Krishna noticed that hazardous food and water remain two of the world's most pressing public health issues. “It is perhaps time to prioritize matters of public health and increase investments to advance food safety, using latest technology for detection and prevention of foodborne illnesses, particularly in the wake of lessons learned from the management of COVID-19 pandemic.”

The FoodWatch Connect app from Dubai Municipality's Food Safety Department is meant to digitize all areas of food safety standards. Krishna, who was effective in the release of the FoodWatch platform, reassured food businesses that registered users of the platform can use the app to conduct daily food safety inspections, apply for food approvals, and access free e-learning videos during an online session of the Dubai Food Safety Conference, which he arranged.

Top tips for consumers

The following are some of Krishna's most helpful tips for customers.

1.  The food must come from a safe source, such as a licensed and inspected food establishment.

2. After purchasing food, transport it safely to your house, and store it in suitable temperatures.

3. Keep cold foods in the refrigerator for as long as possible and only take them out shortly before serving.

4. Cook meat and fish to a temperature of 75 degrees Celsius or higher, especially if the flesh is minced. Make sure the eggs are well cooked.

5. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water. Use sanitizers that are safe and suitable for home use after rubbing and rinsing them well.