Abstract

‘Food Safety’ denotes scientific study of describing handling, preparing and storing of food to prevent food borne diseases. Foods and drinks are usually adulterated by mixing with them inferior and harmful ingredients. As a result, it becomes impure and unfit for human consumption. Food borne illness is mainly caused by pathogenic bacteria, virus, or chemical toxins in food or water. Most countries have their own codes, guidelines and regulatory frameworks to ensure food safety and dietary nutrition to their citizens. Bangladesh is among the most vulnerable countries in the world that are exposed to unsafe food hazards. It has a number of laws & institutional frameworks dealing with food security and prevention of food borne illnesses. The paper defines the concept of food safety & food adulteration, shortly describes food hygiene guidelines adopted worldwide, critically analyzes the issues and challenges for food safety in Bangladesh and comprehensively examines its legal and institutional framework to encounter food poisoning causing public health hazards. It concludes by recommending a trade off between law and practice. The article does not incorporate all the issues of food safety due to thematic limit and uses secondary resources only.