PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF FOOD SAFETY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION IN DEVELOPING NATIONS: A case study of NIGERIA. -A Review

Food safety is concerned with all actions taken on food from the primary protection through processing, food distribution and food preparation to the consumers table, to ensure that the food is wholesome, nutritious and free from contamination and jit for human consumption. The review identified some factors which include the wide spread of food borne diseases, high poverty level, environmental pollution, rapid urbanization, massive importation of all kinds of foodstuff and false claim on food label as possible causes offood contamination. The efforts of government in setting up bodies like Food and Drugs Services, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Standard Organization of Nigeria and the Federal Environment Protection Agency, to protect the consumer was acknowledged. Problems including communication breakdown, outdated laws and regulations, ignorance of consumers, poverty level, and negligence of Food Scientists and Technologist in enacting laws are identified as areas that need urgent attention.