Food safety during fairs and festivals

Abstract Despite continued progress in improving the quality and safety of foods worldwide, food borne disease remains a serious public health concern, particularly during transient large gatherings of people like during fairs and festivals. Due to the sudden spurt in demand, large quantities of foods are manufactured, stored, and sold, often under unsafe and unhygienic conditions along with improper washing facilities. In addition to threat of contamination of food with microorganisms, there is also a risk of adulterants and contaminants by vendors. The universal principles of food safety need to be applied very stringently with a coordinated effort from festival planners, vendors, and the individual consumers. It is a challenge for public health authorities to ensure that these principles are followed so that food borne illness can be avoided and festivals remain a happy occasion for the community.