BS RAWAT
NEW DELHI : Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has urged people to adopt healthy and balanced food habits.

Dr Vardhan has also stressed the need to check food wastage in India.

The Union Minister was addressing an event organized by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to mark the World Food Safety Day in New Delhi.

During the function, delegates from Central and State Government, Food Businesses, Higher Education Institutes and NGOs joined hands in propagating the message of safe food practices.

Dr Vardhan unveiled a statue of the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi on a bicycle which symbolizes Swachh Bharat Yatra.

The first-ever World Food Safety Day adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is aimed at  generating awareness among the masses about  food safety.

The UN theme of this year is Food Safety, Everyone's Business. Over 600 million cases of food borne diseases occur every year worldwide.

FSSAI said in a statement that unsafe food is a risk to human health and economies, excessively affecting vulnerable and marginalized communities, especially women and children, populations affected by conflict and migrants.