The wife of the Anambra State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, has warned that food can become poisonous when it is not properly or hygienically prepared, handled and stored, despite its nutritional value.
Soludo, also the founder of Healthy Living initiative, gave the warning on Monday in a message to mark the 2026 World Food Safety Day.
World Food Safety Day is observed every June 7, to raise awareness about the dangers of contaminated food and to promote actionable steps to prevent, detect and manage food borne diseases.
The theme for this year’s commemoration is – “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere”.
She said that food safety remained a critical component of healthy living.
She said that healthy living begins not only with what people eat but also with ensuring that food is safe from the farm to the dining table.
According to her, food safety is everyone’s responsibility, requiring proper hygiene during preparation, safe handling and appropriate storage to protect families from preventable illnesses.
“A nutritious meal loses its value when it is not safe for consumption.
“Your food can either be your medicine or your poison. Whatever goes into your body has the capability to heal or destroy you.
You are what you eat,” she said.
The governor’s wife urged residents to adopt good food safety practices and make conscious choices that promote health and well-being.
She said that embracing food safety measures would help build healthier families, stronger communities and a more productive society.
Soludo reaffirmed her commitment to promoting healthy living across Anambra through sustained public health awareness and advocacy.
She called on households, food vendors and other stakeholders in the food value chain to play their roles in ensuring that food consumed by residents is safe.
“Healthy food, safe food, healthy people,” she added.
