07/06/2026
🌍 World Food Safety Day 2026
Food safety is often discussed in terms of regulations, standards, and hygiene practices. While these are important, there is another reality we must acknowledge: food safety risks are not experienced equally.
During a field observation in Calabar, we witnessed a situation that highlights this challenge. A mother and her children, having received food from a well-meaning individual, immediately began to eat. With no access to proper utensils or a safe eating environment, they relied on whatever was available, including reused and discarded materials.
This was not a matter of choice. It was a reflection of a deeper issue—the intersection of hunger, poverty, and food safety.
When hunger is immediate, food safety often becomes secondary.
As we commemorate World Food Safety Day, we must recognize that ensuring safe food goes beyond food handling practices. It also requires addressing the social and economic conditions that force vulnerable populations to make difficult choices.
At BASE 10, we believe that every individual deserves access not only to food, but to food that is safe, nutritious, and consumed in conditions that protect health and dignity.
Food safety is not just a public health issue—it is an equity issue.