Earthquake & Tsunami

Tsunami related documents for reference

Acknowledgements

Grateful thanks go to all those involved in preparing this booklet, especially those who translated the “Five Keys” poster in national languages and reviewed the final version: Roy Sparringa,  Nathaporn Wanijjapiwong, Teodulo Ximenes, Gamini Manuweera Monika Arora, Ms M Prakash, Mr R Desikan, Mr Bed Nth Gautam, Stephan Jost, Jan Speets, Shamsul Huda, AK Sengupta, Roderico Ofrin, Peter Ben Embarek and Han Heijnen,

Background

The information provided by the core food safety (FOS) messages in the WHO Five Keys to Food Safety Poster needs to be disseminated by adapting the messages to specific target populations. For this purpose WHO issued the brochure “Bringing Food Safety Home”,to be used globally. Inspired by this initiative, WHO’s Regional Office for South East Asia has carried forward this initiative.

The first step in this direction has been the translation of the original English version into 11 of the main languages spoken in South Asia(see also back cover). The translations were done by national food safety experts from the concerned countries.

“First, Say It Right!”  is the second step. The booklet  gives examples of how the “Five Keys” can be further communicated through locally-adapted awareness materials.

The explanations, comments and suggestions given below are not exhaustive but only illuminate some of the contextual and cultural issues that would need to be considered while preparing FOS promotional materials. The contents in this guidance document can be useful for social workers engaged in promoting safer food to audiences such as small- and medium- scale food and restaurant business owners, street food vendors, food/sanitary inspectors, hospitality business students, consumer organizations, schoolteachers and high school students.

It is most important that before adapting the FOS messages, to keep in mind the following questions.

     Who is the intended audience?

     Does the intended audience understand the language used?

     Do the adapted messages address the basic needs of the target audience? 

     Do the adapted messages provide enough visual cues to accommodate those who might not understand the written language?

     Is the length of messages appropriate to hold the audience’s attention?

     Do the adapted messages present information in an interesting and memorable way?

     Do the adapted messages reinforce – in a compelling manner— the core FOS Five Keys?

     How will the effect on the audience's knowledge, in terms of attitudes and food safety behaviours, be measured?

Principle to follow: The adapted messages will always need to reflect the core messages of the “WHO Five Keys to Safer Food” Poster.

Food Safety Basics

Every day many people around the world get sick from the food that they eat. This sickness is called FOODBORNE DISEASE and is caused by dangerous microorganisms and/or toxic chemicals.

Microorganisms, or germs, are very small living things, so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Bacteria, viruses, moulds and parasites are all microorganisms. 

Microorganisms are so small that it takes one million of them to cover the head of a pin. One bacteria can become two in just 15 minutes. This means that in six hours one bacteria can multiply to over 16 million (16 777 216 bacteria).

While some germs are good in nature – some are used to make food like cheese and yoghurt, others to make medicines like penicillin, others again help us to digest our food-             the bad microorganisms, or spoilage microorganisms, will cause our food to smell bad, taste horrible and look disgusting.

But it is the dangerous microorganisms that can make us sick and even kill us. Most dangerous germs will not change the appearance of the food they live in.

Contrary to common belief, you cannot predict from the smell, taste and appearance of food if it will make you sick or not!

Microorganisms rely on something or someone to move them around, including you.  The transfer of microorganisms from one surface to another is called cross- contamination.

Cross-contamination takes place directly or indirectly through hands, towels, clothes, cutting boards, utensils, pets, dishes and countertops.  People often get food poisoning from eating food that has been cross-contaminated.

Microorganisms are not the only cause of foodborne illness. 

People can also get sick from poisonous chemicals. Chemicals that can be poisonous include:

     Pesticides used on food crops and in households;

     Veterinary chemicals used for treating animals;

     Cleaning chemicals;

     Metals and other environmental pollutants;

     Improperly used food additives, and;

     Plant and animal toxins.

Did Food Make You Sick?

Every year, billions of people – among them countless children below five years of age - experience one or more episodes of foodborne disease without ever knowing that it was food that caused their illness.

The most common symptoms for foodborne disease are:

     Stomach pains;

     Vomiting, and

     Diarrhoea.

You may also experience:

     Nausea;

     Fever, and

     Headache.

The symptoms depend on the cause of the poisoning.  They occur very quickly after eating food, or may take days.  For most foodborne diseases, symptoms occur 24-72 hours after the food has been consumed.  The long-term effects, such as reactive arthritis, Guilliane Barre syndrome (primarily an ascending paralysis) or Crohn's disease (chronic inflammation of the bowels -pathology still largely unexplained) can also be associated with foodborne diseases. Sometimes foodborne diseases result in death.

Toxic chemical residues in food items may also cause long-lasting adverse health effects.  

What To Do If You Get Sick?

     As soon as symptoms occur, especially diarrhoea, drink – or make drink, if children – lots of fluids to avoid dehydration;

     Try not to handle or prepare food while you are sick. However if handling food cannot be avoided, do not forget to wash your hands with soap and water first, and

     Seek medical help if there are frequently watery bowel movements, blood in the stools, repeated vomiting or fever and/or symptoms last for more than three days.

You Can Make A Difference!

Stop microorganisms from making you and other people sick by following the five keys to safer food:

1.      Keep Clean;

2.      Separate raw and cooked;

3.      Cook thoroughly;

4.      Keep food at safe temperatures, and

5.      Use safe water and raw materials.