Italian Ambassador marks World Food Safety Day 2022 with call to action

Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Rita Giuliana Mannella on Tuesday marked World Food Safety Day 2022 with a focused call to action on the importance of safe and nutritional food in ensuring human health.

As part of World Food Safety Day celebrations, Ambassador Mannella, planted a Jackfruit (Gini Waraka variety) plant, gifted to her by the Sri Lanka Italy Business Council, in her residence on 7 June. 

She stressed that Sri Lanka needs to be conscious of what they eat and how safely their food is prepared. She pointed out that Sri Lanka is known for its rich soil that bears tropical fruits and vegetables, so it’s easy for one to eat healthy if they try.

Ambassador Mannella also urged the locals to value homegrown items, as every country should be prepared to face disruptions in the supply of staples caused by global uncertainties. 

While expounding on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, Ambassador Mannella stated that she would love to see Sri Lankan food get the recognition it deserves on a global level. “Food is the pulse of a culture. It nourishes the body and is intimately tied to both the immediate and long-term health of its people as you are what you eat,” said Ambassador Mannella.

The month of June also commemorates the ‘Jackfruit Propagation Campaign’ initiated by Arthur Vincent Dias in 1918, in which he promoted the jackfruit tree as the ‘bath gasa’ or ‘the tree of rice’.