Saturday, 08 June 2024 04:54

Amid widespread power outages, hunger in Nigeria, WHO says cooked foods in fridges should be thrown away after 4-hr power cut

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Amid widespread power outages and increasing hunger in Nigeria, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that foods not properly refrigerated during power cuts should be discarded. According to WHO, perishable and cooked foods stored in a refrigerator become unsafe to consume after four hours without power.

In a series of posts on its X account for the 2024 World Food Safety Day, themed "Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected," WHO stated, “If there has been a power outage in your area, refrigerated or frozen food may not be safe to eat. Products can become unsafe if they have been exposed to temperatures above 5 °C for more than two hours.”

WHO warned that after four hours of a power cut, all perishable foods in the fridge, such as meat, poultry, fish, and leftovers, should be thrown out. Additionally, frozen items that have thawed or been exposed to ambient temperature for more than two hours should either be cooked immediately or discarded. WHO emphasized, “Never eat food to determine if it is safe. If in doubt, throw it away.”

This advisory is particularly concerning for Nigeria, where power supply remains unstable, with outages often lasting for days. Between 2020 and 2022, an average of 21.3% of Nigeria's population experienced hunger. The World Food Programme projects that about 26.5 million people across Nigeria will face acute hunger in 2024, a significant increase from the 18.6 million people affected by the end of 2023.

WHO also highlighted that foodborne illnesses affect 91 million people in Africa each year, with one in 10 people falling ill from contaminated food annually. Over 200 diseases are caused by consuming food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemical substances.

For those living in areas prone to power outages, WHO recommends keeping a stock of pre-packaged, ready-to-eat, and canned food, as well as bottled water for emergencies. It advises that undamaged canned goods and commercial glass jars are likely to be safe but should be sanitized before use. Any canned foods with broken seams, serious dents, or leaks, and jars with cracks, should be discarded.

World Food Safety Day

Celebrated annually on June 7, World Food Safety Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018 to raise awareness and encourage efforts to prevent, detect, and address public health risks linked to unsafe food. This year's theme underscores the importance of being prepared for food safety incidents, regardless of their severity.

WHO noted that food safety incidents can occur due to accidents, inadequate controls, food fraud, or natural events. Managing these incidents requires dedicated efforts from policymakers, food safety authorities, farmers, and food business operators, with consumers also playing an active role.

March 15, 2025

Dangote Refinery further reduces petrol loading price amidst fresh crude supply from NNPCL

In a significant development in Nigeria's downstream oil sector, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has further…
March 14, 2025

I know individuals in Tinubu’s govt who bought ministerial positions, El-Rufai claims

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has revealed that he knows individuals who paid to…
March 14, 2025

How leaders train themselves to rethink and adapt faster

Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio Recognizing the value of rethinking is one thing—making it a habit is another.…
March 01, 2025

Man offers to split $525,000 jackpot with thieves who stole his credit card to buy…

A Frenchman appealed to the homeless thieves who stole his credit card to buy a…
March 14, 2025

Gunmen invade Kaduna communities, abduct 10

Suspected bandits have abducted ten villagers from three remote communities in Kajuru Local Government Area…
March 15, 2025

What to know after Day 1115 of Russia-Ukraine war

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Putin urges Kiev to order troops in Kursk Region to surrender Moscow is…
March 15, 2025

Humanoid robot with human-like competence unveiled in China

Du Qiongfang Humanoid robot manufacturer AgiBot in Shanghai unveiled on Tuesday its latest humanoid robot…
January 08, 2025

NFF appoints new Super Eagles head coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Éric Sékou Chelle as the new Head Coach…

NEWSSCROLL TEAM: 'Sina Kawonise: Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Prof Wale Are Olaitan: Editorial Consultant; Femi Kawonise: Head, Production & Administration; Afolabi Ajibola: IT Manager;
Contact Us: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +234 811 395 4049

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 NewsScroll. All rights reserved.