Mehedi Hasan Bappy :
The world is facing a global pandemic situation for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) there has no preventive medicine available yet. The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables to boost immunity at this pandemic. So people of developing countries like Bangladesh can take advantage by including available seasonal fruits in the diet to boost up their immunity. In Bangladesh, May-July are specially called as fruit festival months when almost all the major and minor fruits are matured and available.
Our country produces 60% of fruits such as mango, blackberry, Litchi, Jackfruit, Star Apple , Watermelon, Pineapple during June to September. A few fruits are already available in the market. There are some other fruits like Banana, Papaya, Sapodilla and Coconut are available throughout the year. The advantage of seasonal fruits is accessible and available compare to other time. Besides, it contains more nutrition than imported process fruits. These seasonal fruits have nutritional value and rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, Iron, Calcium, Potassium and Zinc etc. Nutritionists say, during this time taking seasonal fresh fruits will play an effective role for a healthy immune system. Additionally fruits easier to digest and contain various vitamins which help in hastening the recovery process.
According to the World Food Program (WFP), if we do not make the right decisions that could result in malnutrition, starvation, and loss of immunity in the near future. Recently the Government has taken initiative to include seasonal fruits in relief so that vulnerable people can have the nutritional advantage in this pandemic and Post offices initiative to deliver seasonal fruits without charging farmers that is praiseworthy.
In Recent years consumers are afraid to buy fruits from the market due to the use of harmful chemicals like carbide a deadly ripening agent could harm a person directly, it was banned by the law under the Safe Food Act, 2013. In this situation, the Government should monitor the uses of harmful chemical promptly and take initiative to fulfill the demanding nutritious fruits throughout the year.
(Mehedi Hasan Bappy is a student of Department of Nutrition & Food Engineering, Daffodil International University. E-mail : [email protected])
