Nevertheless, the importance of food safety in the
prevention of diarrhoeal diseases is often overlooked
or neglected. It is often observed that the strategies
for prevention of diarrhoeal diseases and associated
malnutrition are limited to promotion of breastfeeding
or improving water supply and sanitation,
neglecting the need to educate foodhandler, particularly
mothers, in food safety (2). Not infrequently,
studies of why children suffer from diarrhoea overlook
the relevant factors related to food safety.
The present review provides evidence that food
contamination is one of the major contributors to
diarrhoeal diseases and the malnutrition associated
with them and that in the prevention of diarrhoeal
diseases in infants and children food safety is as
important as breast-feeding or provision of safe
water supplies and sanitation. Every effort should be
made to improve the hygiene quality of foods. Educcation of foodhandlers, particularly mothers, in food
safety principles, through primary health care and
infant feeding programmes, should be regarded as an
important strategy for the prevention of diarrhoeal
diseases (3).