The National Biosafety Authority – NBA has urged producers and processors of genetically modified (GM) food products to adhere to biosafety and food safety standards to protect people from foodborne illnesses.
The Authority is encouraging all those handling GMO food products to ensure safety for humans, animals and the environment in celebration of the second World Food Safety Day (WFSD) on 7th June 2020.
According to a statement made available to the Zambian Business Times- ZBT on June 5, 2020, NBA Communications Officer Sandra Lombe says NBA through internationally recognized biosafety standards, codes of practice and other national guidelines and laws, supports national food safety in order to contribute to consumers’ good health and environmental protection.
NBA oversees the aspect of regulating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or products of GMOs such as food, feed, application and processes from the laboratory or farm to the consumer. This also includes the import, export and transit of GMO products. The Authority works with various partners and stakeholders to enhance this perspective.
“As the Authority we work with various stakeholders dealing in food safety, including the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture. This is because we have one common goal to ensure safety of humans, animals and the environment. Biosafety measures and standards must be adhered to through the whole food chain up to the consumer. Through risk assessment, NBA will always ensure that the GMO foods placed on the market are safe for human consumption.” Sandra said
She added that it’s imperative to note that COVID-19 is a highly infectious virus that demands good laboratory practices with appropriate biosafety standards, therefore, Laboratories conducting tests for COVID-19 using molecular techniques must adhere to biosafety standards and good laboratory practices as enshrined in the biosafety guidelines/standards for the National Biosafety Authority.
