The College of Public Health and Health Information participated in the activities of the Jeddah third Awareness-raising Health Nutrition Symposium. The Trusteeship of Jeddah organized it on Tuesday and Wednesday 17-18/1437, at the Palace Hall of the Hilton hotel. It is organized under the theme: “My Food Is My Health”.

Dr Ahmed Abdullah Osman, the assistant professor at the Awareness and Heath Boost Department, presented a paper titled “Food Safety and Security”. The paper touched upon the modern concepts of food safety and food-transmitted diseases. It also had a look on the statistics related to the food-poisoning cases and its various types. It also covered the most prominent factors impacting on the growth and activity of micro-organisms contaminating food, and how to avoid food-poisoning cases through following the five tips on guaranteeing the safety of food. He further shed light on the role of the governmental and private bodies in dealing with the food-poisoning cases.   

Concluding his paper, Dr Ahmed recommended focusing researches on the food made out of the biotechnology, and assessing its health benefits and its downsides. He also urged to raise awareness about the effects of insecticides on food and how to deal with them and getting rid of the remainder. He also called on food companies to provide experts on food safety who follow and supervise all the food production processes according to health conditions required. 

It is mentionable that the symposium witnessed a huge turnout from those interested in food safety, topped by the Jeddah Trusteeship, Health Affairs Directorate and Food and Drug Authority officials and a number of private food companies

The College’s Dean, Dr Ahmed ibn Omar Bablghais, underlined that the Symposium an annual awareness-raising gathering aiming at boosting food safety awareness to more safe and healthy. He went on to add that the College harness all its scientific capabilities for implementing the societal awareness programs given the big support which the University’s Director, Dr Baqri ibn Ma’atuq As’as, lend to all the College’s programs and activities.