PHNOM PENH: The Secretary of State and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Dr. Or Vandine, has urged people to practice consistent food safety standards in order for everyone to maintain good health and protect themselves from various diseases. She shared these remarks on the occasion of World Food Safety Day on Tuesday, 7 June 2022.

In a voice message posted on social media on Monday, 6 June, Dr. Or Vandine said that a lack of good food hygiene will affect health and social productivity. She urges people to pay more attention to food safety, from the stage of planting vegetables, to serving food.

"Please pay attention to the food that you eat, the food that you provide to your family, especially parents and guardians while nurturing and caring for children," said Dr. Or Vandine. "[I] also ask [people] to properly implement food safety and hygiene. We should avoid consuming expired or unsafe foods and food with preservatives that are harmful to our health."

The Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health recommends good hand hygiene and food hygiene by washing vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, plates, and knives regularly, cooking food well, separating different types of food to not be confused, and to not keep food for too long. She said if food must be stored cold, it should be kept below 5 degrees Celsius, and if it must be stored hot, it should be kept above 60 degrees Celsius.

She told people to avoid eating raw meat which has been cooked properly, as it contains various viruses that can spread.

She said, "In the past, there have been outbreaks of various diseases, which can be transmitted from wild animals or rodents as well as mammals. So, if you eat meat, please make sure to cook it properly. All the food we eat is to be cooked properly and vegetables should be washed properly as well.”

If you have any health problems, Dr. Or Vandine urges people to consult a medical professional. She especially urges those with health concerns related to epidemics to call the emergency number, 115, or go to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.